CVE-2017-12643 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick 7.0.6-1 has a memory exhaustion vulnerability in ReadOneJNGImage in coders\png.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12643 represents a critical memory exhaustion flaw within ImageMagick version 7.0.6-1, specifically affecting the ReadOneJNGImage function located in the coders\png.c source file. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and memory allocation handling when processing Joint Photographic Experts Group Next Generation (JNG) image files, which are based on the JPEG 2000 standard and incorporate additional features for progressive image transmission. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious JNG files that can trigger excessive memory consumption during the image parsing process, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of memory allocation requests within the ReadOneJNGImage function, which processes JNG image streams without adequate bounds checking or resource limitation mechanisms. When ImageMagick encounters a malformed JNG file containing crafted parameters, the parsing routine allocates memory in a manner that grows exponentially or becomes unbounded, allowing an attacker to consume system resources far beyond what would be reasonable for legitimate image processing operations. This memory exhaustion condition typically manifests as the application consuming all available virtual memory or causing the system to swap heavily, effectively rendering the system unresponsive to other processes.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12643 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can be leveraged in broader attack vectors within web applications or file processing systems that utilize ImageMagick for image manipulation. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through file upload mechanisms, email attachments, or any system that processes user-supplied image files without proper sanitization. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where ImageMagick is used for automated image processing, content management systems, or web applications that accept image uploads from untrusted sources, as it can be exploited to consume system resources and potentially cause cascading failures across dependent services. This flaw aligns with CWE-400, which classifies memory allocation and deallocation issues as a primary category for resource exhaustion vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12643 require immediate patching of ImageMagick installations to versions that address the memory handling issues in the JNG parsing routine, typically through the implementation of proper input validation and memory allocation limits. System administrators should also implement file type validation and content inspection mechanisms to prevent processing of suspicious JNG files, while deploying resource monitoring and limiting mechanisms to prevent single processes from consuming excessive memory. Organizations utilizing ImageMagick in production environments should consider implementing sandboxing techniques or containerization to isolate image processing operations and prevent memory exhaustion from affecting other system components. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499, which involves resource exhaustion attacks targeting system availability, and represents a significant concern for cybersecurity practitioners responsible for maintaining secure image processing pipelines in enterprise environments.