CVE-2017-11752 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The ReadMAGICKImage function in coders/magick.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory leak) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11752 represents a critical memory management flaw within ImageMagick's image processing library, specifically affecting version 7.0.6-4. This issue manifests through the ReadMAGICKImage function located in the coders/magick.c source file, where improper memory handling allows maliciously crafted image files to trigger persistent memory allocation without subsequent deallocation. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory leak exploitation, which can be leveraged by remote attackers to exhaust system resources and potentially cause system instability or complete service unavailability. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-401, which addresses improper handling of memory allocation failures and resource leaks in software applications. This vulnerability is particularly concerning given ImageMagick's widespread adoption across web applications, content management systems, and digital asset management platforms where image processing capabilities are essential for core operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker uploads or processes a specially crafted image file that contains malformed data structures designed to trigger the memory allocation path within the ReadMAGICKImage function. During normal image processing operations, the function allocates memory blocks to store image metadata, pixel data, and processing context information. However, due to inadequate error handling and memory deallocation logic, when the function encounters malformed input data, it fails to properly release allocated memory resources, leading to progressive memory consumption over time. This behavior can be amplified through repeated processing of malicious files, creating a sustained memory leak that gradually depletes available system resources. The vulnerability is classified as a remote attack vector because it does not require local system access or authentication, allowing attackers to exploit the flaw through network-based interactions with vulnerable systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11752 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise entire system availability and performance. When exploited, the memory leak can cause applications using ImageMagick to consume increasing amounts of system memory until the system becomes unresponsive or crashes entirely. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that process user-uploaded images, as attackers can repeatedly submit malicious files to gradually consume server resources and cause service disruption. The impact is further amplified in environments where multiple concurrent image processing operations occur, as each malicious file can contribute to cumulative memory exhaustion. Organizations relying on ImageMagick for image manipulation, conversion, or processing tasks face significant risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including file upload portals, image processing APIs, and automated image handling workflows. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent memory leak aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes resource exhaustion attacks that target memory management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11752 require immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 7.0.6-5 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures for all image processing operations, including MIME type checking, file size limits, and preliminary format validation before processing. Network-level protections such as rate limiting and file type restrictions can help reduce exposure by limiting the number of image processing requests and preventing malicious file uploads. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual memory consumption patterns and potential exploitation attempts through automated alerting systems. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing sandboxing techniques for image processing operations, isolating vulnerable components from critical system resources. System administrators should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and maintain updated security patches across all ImageMagick installations, particularly in environments where image processing is a core application function. The remediation approach should also include disabling unnecessary image formats and codecs to reduce the attack surface, as well as implementing proper memory monitoring and resource allocation controls to detect and prevent memory exhaustion conditions.