CVE-2017-13748 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
There are lots of memory leaks in JasPer 2.0.12, triggered in the function jas_strdup() in base/jas_string.c, that will lead to a remote denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13748 represents a critical memory management flaw within the JasPer library version 2.0.12, specifically affecting the jas_strdup() function located in the base/jas_string.c source file. This memory leak vulnerability arises from improper handling of string duplication operations, where allocated memory is not properly released following successful string duplication attempts. The flaw manifests when the library processes malformed or specially crafted input data that triggers the memory allocation path within jas_strdup(), leading to accumulation of unreleased memory blocks over time. The root cause aligns with CWE-401, which catalogs improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation scenarios, specifically highlighting the failure to properly manage dynamic memory resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, creating a remote denial of service condition that can be exploited by attackers who send maliciously formatted data to systems utilizing the affected JasPer library. When multiple instances of the vulnerable function are invoked through various code paths within applications that depend on JasPer for image processing, the cumulative effect of unreleased memory creates a progressive degradation of system performance. The vulnerability can be triggered remotely through network-based interactions with applications that process image files, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing services or applications that accept user-uploaded content. This type of vulnerability falls under ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and specifically targets resource exhaustion conditions that can render systems unavailable to legitimate users.
Systems utilizing JasPer 2.0.12 for image processing operations, including web servers, image processing applications, and content management systems, are at risk of experiencing service disruption when this vulnerability is exploited. The memory leaks accumulate over time, eventually consuming available system resources and causing applications to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can influence input to the affected applications. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to JasPer versions that address this memory leak issue, implementing input validation measures to prevent malformed data from reaching the vulnerable functions, and deploying monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation approach should prioritize the immediate upgrade to patched versions of the library while maintaining proper memory management practices in application code to prevent similar issues in other components of the software stack.