CVE-2017-12983 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the ReadSFWImage function in coders/sfw.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6-8 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12983 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within ImageMagick's image processing pipeline, specifically affecting the ReadSFWImage function in the coders/sfw.c module. This flaw exists in ImageMagick version 7.0.6-8 and demonstrates a classic memory corruption vulnerability that can be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted image files. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the software's image parsing logic, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through carefully constructed input data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when ImageMagick attempts to process SFW (Silicon Graphics Image) formatted files through the ReadSFWImage function. During the parsing process, the application fails to properly validate the size parameters of data structures within the SFW file format, leading to a situation where user-controlled input can cause the heap allocator to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. This heap overflow condition manifests as memory corruption that typically results in application crashes or unpredictable behavior, making it a significant concern for systems that process untrusted image files. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory safety and image format parsing, where the lack of bounds checking in the memory allocation process creates exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by remote attackers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial risk to organizations that rely on ImageMagick for image processing tasks, particularly those handling user-uploaded content or processing images from external sources. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger the vulnerability without requiring local access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web applications, content management systems, and any environment where image file processing occurs. The potential impact extends beyond simple denial of service to include possible code execution or information disclosure scenarios, depending on the specific system configuration and memory layout. This vulnerability affects a wide range of applications that depend on ImageMagick's image handling capabilities, including web applications, digital asset management systems, and automated processing pipelines.
The remediation approach for CVE-2017-12983 requires immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to the latest stable releases that contain the necessary memory validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures for all image file processing operations, including the deployment of file type detection mechanisms that can identify and reject malformed or suspicious image files before they reach the vulnerable parsing functions. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing sandboxing techniques and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in image processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that all ImageMagick-dependent applications have been properly updated and configured to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through memory corruption vulnerabilities.