CVE-2017-11360 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The ReadRLEImage function in coders\rle.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-1 has a large loop vulnerability via a crafted rle file that triggers a huge number_pixels value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11360 resides within the ReadRLEImage function in ImageMagick's coders/rle.c file, specifically affecting version 7.0.6-1. This issue represents a critical memory corruption vulnerability that arises from improper validation of input data within the Run-Length Encoding (RLE) image parsing logic. The flaw manifests when processing specially crafted RLE files that contain maliciously inflated number_pixels values, leading to excessive memory allocation requests that can overwhelm system resources and potentially result in denial of service conditions or arbitrary code execution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from a lack of proper bounds checking and input validation within the RLE decoding process. When ImageMagick encounters an RLE file with an inflated pixel count value, the ReadRLEImage function fails to validate whether the specified number of pixels falls within reasonable parameters for the expected image dimensions. This absence of validation creates a scenario where a maliciously constructed RLE file can trigger a loop that attempts to allocate an enormous amount of memory, effectively bypassing normal resource management controls. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-129 as an insufficient input validation issue, specifically involving improper bounds checking on input data that should be strictly limited to prevent resource exhaustion.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that process untrusted image files, particularly those that rely on ImageMagick for image handling operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting RLE files with deliberately inflated pixel counts, causing the application to consume excessive memory resources during the image parsing phase. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the memory allocation failures could potentially lead to crashes or, in more sophisticated attack vectors, provide opportunities for privilege escalation or remote code execution depending on the execution environment. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications, content management systems, and any platform that accepts user-uploaded images without proper sanitization.
The exploitation of CVE-2017-11360 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage vulnerabilities in image processing libraries to execute malicious code on target systems. Organizations utilizing ImageMagick for image processing must consider the broader implications of this vulnerability within their attack surface, particularly in environments where automated image processing occurs without proper input validation. The vulnerability also intersects with T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as memory corruption issues can potentially be leveraged to gain elevated privileges when the vulnerable application runs with higher permissions. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of ImageMagick to version 7.0.6-2 or later, implementing strict input validation for all image file types, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious RLE file patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for image processing operations and establishing robust monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.