CVE-2017-12663 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick 7.0.6-2 has a memory leak vulnerability in WriteMAPImage in coders/map.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12663 represents a critical memory leak flaw within ImageMagick's MAP image format handling functionality. This issue specifically affects ImageMagick version 7.0.6-2 and manifests in the WriteMAPImage function located within the coders/map.c source file. The memory leak occurs during the processing of MAP format images, which are commonly used for storing color maps and other graphical data representations. This vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in memory management where allocated memory blocks are not properly released back to the system, leading to progressive resource consumption over time.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of MAP format image files that trigger the WriteMAPImage function during image processing operations. When an attacker crafts a malicious MAP file or when legitimate processing of such files occurs, the memory leak mechanism activates, causing the application to consume increasing amounts of memory without proper garbage collection. This behavior can be particularly dangerous in server environments where ImageMagick is used for automated image processing tasks, as it may lead to system resource exhaustion and potential denial of service conditions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper release of memory, making it a classic example of memory management failure in software applications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that process untrusted image files through ImageMagick. The memory leak can accumulate over time, potentially causing application crashes, system instability, or complete system exhaustion, especially in environments where large volumes of image processing occur. Attackers could exploit this weakness by submitting specially crafted MAP files to web applications that utilize ImageMagick, leading to progressive memory consumption that could render the service unavailable to legitimate users. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the memory exhaustion could potentially lead to system-wide instability and affect other running processes on the same host system.
Organizations utilizing ImageMagick should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the software, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for image file processing, and monitoring system resource usage for abnormal memory consumption patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service, and the mitigation strategies should include network segmentation, rate limiting of image processing requests, and implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect memory leak patterns. Additionally, system administrators should consider deploying memory monitoring tools and implementing proper resource limits for image processing services to prevent complete system exhaustion. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in preventing memory-related exploits that can compromise system stability and availability.