CVE-2017-12693 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
The ReadBMPImage function in coders/bmp.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a crafted BMP file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12693 resides within ImageMagick's handling of bitmap image files, specifically in the ReadBMPImage function located in the coders/bmp.c source file. This flaw affects ImageMagick version 7.0.6-6 and represents a classic denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely through crafted malicious BMP files. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory consumption issues, where an attacker can manipulate the image processing library to consume excessive system resources without causing a crash or system failure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of malformed BMP file structures during the image reading process. When ImageMagick attempts to parse a specially crafted BMP file, the ReadBMPImage function fails to properly validate or limit memory allocation based on the file's header information or pixel data structure. This allows an attacker to craft a BMP file with inflated size parameters or malformed data that causes the library to allocate disproportionately large amounts of memory. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400, which specifically addresses unchecked resource consumption, and represents a form of resource exhaustion attack that can be executed without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions as it can be leveraged in various attack scenarios within web applications, email systems, or file processing services that utilize ImageMagick for image handling. When exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to consume system memory resources at an accelerated rate, potentially leading to system instability, application crashes, or complete service unavailability. In environments where ImageMagick is used for automatic image processing or as part of content management systems, this vulnerability can be particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through simple file uploads or image processing requests, making it a preferred target for automated exploitation.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers resource exhaustion attacks, and represents a common pattern in image processing libraries where insufficient input validation leads to memory allocation issues. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly concerning for web-facing applications, as it can be triggered through simple HTTP requests or file uploads without requiring specialized knowledge of the underlying system. Organizations using ImageMagick in production environments should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly when implementing security controls around file upload mechanisms and image processing pipelines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12693 should include immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 7.0.6-7 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper input validation and memory allocation limits. Additionally, organizations should implement proper file validation and sanitization processes, including MIME type checking, file size limitations, and sandboxed execution environments for image processing operations. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block suspicious image file patterns, while monitoring systems should be configured to alert on unusual memory consumption patterns during image processing operations. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of input validation and resource management in image processing libraries, particularly when these libraries are exposed to untrusted input from external sources.