CVE-2017-10775 in XnView Classic
Summary
by MITRE
XnView Classic for Windows Version 2.40 might allow attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted .rle file, related to a "Read Access Violation starting at GDI32!ScriptGetCMapWithSurrogate+0x00000000000001cb."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10775 affects XnView Classic for Windows version 2.40 and represents a critical denial of service condition that could potentially lead to more severe consequences. This issue manifests through improper handling of crafted .rle files, which are run-length encoded image format files commonly used for storing bitmap images. The vulnerability specifically occurs within the graphics device interface gdi32.dll component of the windows operating system, where a read access violation is triggered during the ScriptGetCMapWithSurrogate function execution.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the XnView Classic application when processing maliciously constructed .rle files. When the application attempts to parse these specially crafted files, it triggers a memory access violation at the GDI32!ScriptGetCMapWithSurrogate+0x00000000000001cb location, indicating that the application fails to properly validate the structure and content of the input file before attempting to process it through the windows graphics subsystem. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-129, which covers improper validation of array indices, both of which are common precursors to memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service as it could potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could cause the XnView Classic application to crash or become unresponsive, effectively preventing legitimate users from accessing image files. More concerning is the potential for escalation, as the read access violation in the gdi32.dll component suggests that the vulnerability could be leveraged to gain deeper system access or to corrupt memory in ways that might allow for privilege escalation. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where XnView Classic is used to process untrusted image files, such as in email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing scenarios.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of known vulnerabilities in software applications. The attack surface is broad as XnView Classic is widely used for image viewing and management across various organizations and individuals. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper input validation and memory safety mechanisms. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation, as well as deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent unauthorized execution of vulnerable software. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate patching of XnView Classic to version 2.41 or later, which includes proper input validation and memory management fixes that address the root cause of the vulnerability. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted image files and organizations should consider implementing sandboxing techniques for image processing operations to contain potential exploitation attempts and prevent the vulnerability from being leveraged for broader system compromise.