CVE-2017-11755 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The WritePICONImage function in coders/xpm.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory leak) via a crafted file that is mishandled in an AcquireSemaphoreInfo call.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11755 resides within ImageMagick's WritePICONImage function located in the coders/xpm.c file version 7.0.6-4. This flaw represents a critical memory management issue that can be exploited by remote attackers to induce denial of service conditions through carefully crafted malicious files. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the function processes input data that triggers an improper handling of semaphore information during memory allocation operations. The root cause stems from inadequate resource cleanup mechanisms within the AcquireSemaphoreInfo call, which fails to properly release allocated memory segments when processing malformed input files. This memory leak vulnerability operates at the core of ImageMagick's image processing pipeline and affects the application's ability to maintain stable memory allocation during file processing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a specially formatted file that, when processed by ImageMagick's WritePICONImage function, causes the application to allocate memory resources without proper subsequent deallocation. The AcquireSemaphoreInfo call becomes a critical failure point where memory segments are acquired but never properly released, leading to progressive memory consumption that eventually exhausts available system resources. This memory leak pattern aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper release of memory resources, and demonstrates how inadequate resource management can lead to system instability. The vulnerability operates within the broader context of software security practices where proper memory lifecycle management is essential for preventing resource exhaustion attacks that can disrupt service availability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory consumption issues to potentially compromise entire systems through denial of service attacks. When exploited at scale, multiple concurrent connections processing malicious files can rapidly deplete system memory resources, causing the target application to become unresponsive or crash entirely. This affects any system that relies on ImageMagick for image processing, including web servers, content management systems, and file processing applications that accept user-uploaded images. The vulnerability particularly impacts environments where ImageMagick is used in automated processing workflows or exposed to untrusted input sources, as these scenarios provide ideal conditions for attackers to trigger the memory leak through crafted file uploads or remote processing requests. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a resource exhaustion technique under the system service execution domain, where adversaries leverage software weaknesses to disrupt normal operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11755 require immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to the latest stable versions that contain fixes for the memory management issues in the WritePICONImage function. Organizations should implement input validation measures to filter potentially malicious files before processing, including file type verification and size limitations to prevent excessive memory consumption. Additionally, deploying application-level sandboxing or containerization techniques can limit the impact of memory leaks by isolating vulnerable processes and preventing complete system compromise. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems can monitor for suspicious file processing patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential memory management issues within image processing libraries, as similar patterns may exist in other components of the software stack that could present analogous vulnerabilities requiring similar remediation approaches.