CVE-2017-13750 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
There is a reachable assertion abort in the function jpc_dec_process_siz() in jpc/jpc_dec.c:1296 in JasPer 2.0.12 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-2017-13750 represents a critical remote denial of service flaw within the JasPer 2.0.12 image processing library. This issue manifests in the jpc_dec_process_siz() function located in the jpc/jpc_dec.c source file at line 1296, where a reachable assertion abort occurs during the processing of JPEG 2000 image streams. The flaw specifically impacts systems that utilize JasPer for image decoding operations, particularly those handling untrusted image data from remote sources. The assertion failure causes the application to terminate abruptly, effectively denying service to legitimate users who attempt to process valid image content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the JPEG 2000 decoder component. When malformed or specially crafted image data is processed through the jpc_dec_process_siz() function, the code encounters a condition that triggers an assertion failure, leading to an immediate program termination. This assertion abort mechanism is designed to catch programming errors during development but becomes exploitable when triggered by malicious input in production environments. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper error handling and input sanitization, which falls under CWE-665 Improper Initialization and CWE-755 Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems that rely on JasPer for image processing, particularly web applications, content management systems, and image processing services that accept user-uploaded images. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious JPEG 2000 files that trigger the assertion abort when processed by vulnerable applications. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can initiate denial of service conditions without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption, as the vulnerability can be leveraged to disrupt critical image processing workflows and potentially cause cascading failures in larger software ecosystems that depend on JasPer functionality.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-13750 requires immediate application of the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to JasPer version 2.0.13 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent the assertion abort condition. Organizations should implement robust input validation mechanisms that sanitize all image data before processing, particularly in applications that handle untrusted content. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of exploitation by restricting access to vulnerable services. Additionally, implementing proper error handling and graceful degradation mechanisms within applications that utilize JasPer can help prevent complete service termination when encountering malformed image data. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage software flaws to disrupt service availability. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal application termination patterns and assertion failure events that may indicate exploitation attempts.