CVE-2017-11310 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The read_user_chunk_callback function in coders\png.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-1 Q16 2017-06-21 (beta) has memory leak vulnerabilities via crafted PNG files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11310 represents a critical memory leak flaw within ImageMagick's PNG handling component, specifically in the read_user_chunk_callback function located in coders/png.c. This issue affects ImageMagick version 7.0.6-1 Q16 released on 2017-06-21, which was part of the beta development cycle. The vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management when processing specially crafted PNG files, creating a scenario where allocated memory resources are not properly released during the parsing of user-defined chunks within the PNG file format.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation within the PNG chunk processing pipeline. When ImageMagick encounters a crafted PNG file containing maliciously constructed user chunks, the read_user_chunk_callback function fails to correctly manage memory resources, leading to progressive memory consumption without proper cleanup. This memory leak occurs during the parsing phase where the software attempts to process user-defined data within PNG files, particularly when handling chunks that contain malformed or specially constructed data that triggers the flawed memory management logic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security risks in environments where ImageMagick processes untrusted image files, such as web applications, content management systems, or file upload handlers. Attackers can exploit this flaw by uploading maliciously crafted PNG files that, when processed by ImageMagick, cause the application to consume increasing amounts of memory until system resources are exhausted. This memory exhaustion can lead to denial of service conditions where legitimate users cannot process images, or in severe cases, cause application crashes and system instability. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in automated processing environments where multiple files are processed sequentially, as the memory leak compounds over time.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which categorizes memory leaks as a common weakness in software development where allocated memory is not properly deallocated, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1499.2, which covers resource exhaustion attacks. This mapping reflects how the memory leak can be leveraged to exhaust system resources and cause denial of service conditions. Organizations using ImageMagick for image processing should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions of ImageMagick, implementing input validation for image files, and deploying sandboxing mechanisms to isolate image processing operations. Additionally, monitoring for unusual memory consumption patterns during image processing operations can help detect exploitation attempts.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple memory management issues, as it demonstrates the critical importance of proper resource management in image processing libraries. Given that ImageMagick is widely used across various platforms and applications, this vulnerability could potentially affect numerous systems and services that rely on its image processing capabilities, making it a high-priority issue for security teams to address through immediate patching and system hardening measures.