CVE-2017-14151 in OpenJPEG
Summary
by MITRE
An off-by-one error was discovered in opj_tcd_code_block_enc_allocate_data in lib/openjp2/tcd.c in OpenJPEG 2.2.0. The vulnerability causes an out-of-bounds write, which may lead to remote denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow affecting opj_mqc_flush in lib/openjp2/mqc.c and opj_t1_encode_cblk in lib/openjp2/t1.c) or possibly remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14151 represents a critical security flaw within the OpenJPEG 2.2.0 library, specifically within the tile coding component responsible for handling JPEG 2000 image compression operations. This issue manifests as an off-by-one error in the opj_tcd_code_block_enc_allocate_data function located in the lib/openjp2/tcd.c source file, demonstrating a fundamental miscalculation in memory allocation boundaries that creates exploitable conditions for attackers. The flaw occurs during the encoding process when the library attempts to allocate memory for code block data, where a boundary condition failure results in improper memory management that can be leveraged for malicious purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from an incorrect calculation that leads to an out-of-bounds write condition, where the application writes data beyond the allocated memory buffer boundaries. This memory corruption issue specifically affects the heap memory regions and can trigger cascading failures throughout the library's memory management subsystem. The out-of-bounds write condition propagates to other functions within the library, particularly opj_mqc_flush in lib/openjp2/mqc.c and opj_t1_encode_cblk in lib/openjp2/t1.c, where the corrupted memory state can cause heap-based buffer overflows that disrupt normal program execution flow. These secondary effects demonstrate the propagation nature of the vulnerability, where a single memory boundary error can trigger multiple failure points within the library's architecture.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14151 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous for applications that process untrusted JPEG 2000 image files. Systems utilizing OpenJPEG 2.2.0 for image processing, including web applications, image servers, and multimedia processing platforms, become vulnerable to remote exploitation when handling maliciously crafted JPEG 2000 files. The vulnerability's remote attack surface is significant as it can be triggered through any application that employs OpenJPEG for decoding or encoding operations, potentially affecting web browsers, image processing software, and server applications that accept user-uploaded images. The heap-based buffer overflow conditions created by this vulnerability can lead to unpredictable program behavior, including crashes, memory corruption, and in severe cases, arbitrary code execution that allows attackers to gain control over affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14151 require immediate patching of affected OpenJPEG installations to version 2.3.0 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the off-by-one error in the memory allocation logic. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to identify all systems utilizing OpenJPEG 2.2.0 and ensure timely updates are deployed across their infrastructure. Additionally, input validation measures should be strengthened to reject malformed JPEG 2000 files before processing, implementing strict file format validation and size limitations to reduce the attack surface. Network segmentation and application sandboxing techniques can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous memory usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK framework category T1203 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, emphasizing the need for robust patch management and memory safety practices in image processing libraries.