CVE-2017-11335 in LibTIFF
Summary
by MITRE
There is a heap based buffer overflow in tools/tiff2pdf.c of LibTIFF 4.0.8 via a PlanarConfig=Contig image, which causes a more than one hundred bytes out-of-bounds write (related to the ZIPDecode function in tif_zip.c). A crafted input may lead to a remote denial of service attack or an arbitrary code execution attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2017-11335 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in the LibTIFF library version 4.0.8, specifically within the tools/tiff2pdf.c component. This flaw manifests when processing TIFF images with PlanarConfig=Contig parameter, creating a condition where the ZIPDecode function in tif_zip.c performs an out-of-bounds write operation exceeding one hundred bytes. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the decompression routine that handles ZIP-compressed TIFF data. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious TIFF files that trigger the overflow during the conversion process from TIFF to PDF format, making this particularly dangerous in environments where automated processing of untrusted image files occurs.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern that aligns with CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow conditions and falls under the ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of remote services. When a vulnerable application processes a specially crafted TIFF image, the ZIPDecode function fails to properly validate the bounds of memory allocations, leading to a write operation that extends beyond allocated heap memory regions. This overflow can corrupt adjacent memory structures, potentially overwriting function pointers, return addresses, or other critical data elements within the application's memory space. The vulnerability's remote attack surface becomes significant when considering that many applications and services automatically process TIFF files from untrusted sources, including web applications, document management systems, and image processing pipelines that utilize LibTIFF for format conversion.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11335 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass potential arbitrary code execution capabilities that could allow remote attackers to gain control over affected systems. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in server environments, web applications, and automated processing systems where untrusted TIFF files might be processed without proper sanitization. The vulnerability affects applications that rely on LibTIFF 4.0.8 for TIFF to PDF conversion, including but not limited to document management systems, web content management platforms, and image processing utilities. Organizations using vulnerable versions of LibTIFF in their infrastructure face significant risk of system compromise, data corruption, or service disruption when processing malicious TIFF inputs.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11335 require immediate action to upgrade to patched versions of LibTIFF, specifically versions 4.0.9 or later where the buffer overflow has been addressed through proper input validation and memory boundary checking. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures that reject TIFF files with suspicious parameters or malformed PlanarConfig settings. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help limit the attack surface by preventing unauthorized access to vulnerable processing systems. Additionally, organizations should deploy intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious TIFF file processing activities and implement regular security assessments to identify other potential vulnerabilities in their image processing pipelines. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched libraries in production environments to ensure compatibility with existing applications while maintaining the security improvements.