CVE-2016-9113 in OpenJPEG
Summary
by MITRE
There is a NULL pointer dereference in function imagetobmp of convertbmp.c:980 of OpenJPEG 2.1.2. image->comps[0].data is not assigned a value after initialization(NULL). Impact is Denial of Service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9113 represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw within the OpenJPEG 2.1.2 library, specifically within the imagetobmp function located in convertbmp.c at line 980. This issue occurs during the processing of JPEG 2000 images when converting them to BMP format, creating a scenario where the application fails to properly initialize memory allocation for image components. The flaw manifests when the code attempts to access image->comps[0].data without first assigning a valid memory reference, leading to a segmentation fault that terminates the application process. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in image processing libraries that handle untrusted input from external sources, as they can be exploited to cause system instability or denial of service across applications relying on OpenJPEG for multimedia processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management practices within the image conversion pipeline. When the imagetobmp function initializes the image structure, it sets up the comps array but fails to properly allocate memory for the first component's data field. This NULL initialization creates a dangerous condition where subsequent code paths attempt to dereference a null pointer, violating fundamental memory safety principles. The flaw aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference vulnerabilities, and demonstrates poor defensive programming practices that fail to validate pointer states before access. The vulnerability operates at the application level rather than at the system level, making it particularly insidious as it can be triggered through legitimate image processing operations without requiring special privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9113 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can compromise the availability of services that depend on OpenJPEG for image processing functionality. Applications utilizing this library for converting JPEG 2000 files to BMP format, including web servers, image processing frameworks, and multimedia applications, become vulnerable to crashes when processing malformed or specially crafted input files. This vulnerability affects the broader cybersecurity landscape by creating potential attack vectors for denial of service attacks, particularly in environments where automated image processing is common. The impact is amplified in web applications that accept user-uploaded images, as attackers can craft malicious JPEG 2000 files designed to trigger this specific NULL pointer dereference, potentially causing cascading failures across dependent services and systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9113 should prioritize immediate patching of OpenJPEG 2.1.2 installations to the latest available versions that contain the fix for this memory management issue. System administrators should implement input validation measures to filter potentially malicious image files before processing them through OpenJPEG libraries, particularly in web-facing applications. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, while monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual application crash patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper defensive programming practices including null pointer validation, comprehensive error handling, and thorough code reviews focusing on memory management patterns. Organizations should consider implementing application sandboxing or containerization techniques to isolate image processing functions and limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques that emphasize privilege escalation and defense evasion through memory corruption exploits.