CVE-2017-10750 in XnView Classic
Summary
by MITRE
XnView Classic for Windows Version 2.40 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service via a crafted .rle file, related to a "User Mode Write AV near NULL starting at ntdll_77df0000!RtlEnterCriticalSection+0x0000000000000012."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2020
CVE-2017-10750 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting XnView Classic for Windows version 2.40 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the software's handling of .rle (Run-Length Encoded) image files, creating a dangerous condition where maliciously crafted files can trigger arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw manifests as a user mode write access violation near NULL, specifically occurring at ntdll_77df0000!RtlEnterCriticalSection+0x0000000000000012, indicating that the vulnerability exploits memory management functions within the Windows kernel. The technical root cause aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory corruption and privilege escalation, as it can be leveraged to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) through the exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. Attackers typically craft malicious .rle files that contain oversized data structures or malformed headers, causing the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing the image data. When XnView attempts to parse these crafted files, the insufficient memory allocation triggers a heap overflow, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly concerning due to its potential for remote code execution, as users may unknowingly open malicious files through email attachments or web downloads. The specific location of the crash at RtlEnterCriticalSection suggests that the vulnerability occurs during critical section handling, indicating that the heap corruption affects synchronization primitives that protect shared resources. This makes the exploitation more reliable and potentially more dangerous as it can disrupt system stability and provide attackers with opportunities to escalate privileges or inject malicious code into the process memory space. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems and implement strict file validation policies to prevent the execution of untrusted image files. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing applications, particularly those handling complex file formats with extensive parsing requirements. Security controls should include network-based filtering to block .rle files from untrusted sources and endpoint protection measures to monitor for suspicious file processing activities. Regular security assessments of image processing software and adherence to secure coding practices are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of multimedia applications.