CVE-2017-14229 in Outside In Technology
Summary
by MITRE
There is an infinite loop in the jpc_dec_tileinit function in jpc/jpc_dec.c of Jasper 2.0.13. It will lead to a remote denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14229 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Jasper 2.0.13 image processing library, specifically within the JPEG 2000 decoder component. This issue manifests as an infinite loop during the tile initialization phase of the decoding process, creating a condition where maliciously crafted JPEG 2000 files can cause applications using Jasper to become unresponsive or consume excessive system resources. The vulnerability exists in the jpc_dec_tileinit function located in the jpc/jpc_dec.c source file, which is part of the core decoding logic responsible for processing JPEG 2000 tiles within image data streams. When an attacker supplies a malformed JPEG 2000 file containing specific parameters that trigger the problematic code path, the decoder enters an infinite loop that prevents normal processing and effectively renders the target application unavailable to legitimate users.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and loop termination conditions within the tile initialization logic. The jpc_dec_tileinit function fails to properly validate the tile parameters or implement proper bounds checking during the decoding process, allowing malformed data to cause the loop to continue indefinitely without proper exit conditions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-835 category of infinite loops or infinite recursion, where a program's control flow becomes trapped in a repetitive sequence without proper termination mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the software does not adequately handle exceptional or malformed input conditions that should be gracefully rejected or properly processed. The infinite loop occurs during the decoding phase when the software attempts to initialize tile data structures, and the lack of proper loop bounds checking or input validation creates an exploitable condition that can be triggered remotely through network-based file processing.
From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems that process untrusted JPEG 2000 image files, including web applications, image processing servers, content management systems, and any software that relies on the Jasper library for image handling. The remote denial of service attack vector means that an attacker can simply upload or deliver a malicious JPEG 2000 file to a vulnerable system, causing the application to enter an infinite loop and consume CPU resources until the system becomes unresponsive or the process is manually terminated. This vulnerability can be exploited across multiple platforms and applications that utilize Jasper 2.0.13, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated image processing occurs. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable resource exhaustion attacks that can be used to overwhelm system resources, making this a valuable tool for attackers seeking to perform denial of service operations against target systems.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14229 primarily focus on upgrading to a patched version of the Jasper library where the infinite loop has been addressed through proper input validation and loop termination conditions. System administrators should immediately apply security updates from the Jasper project or their respective operating system vendors to resolve this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing input validation at the application level can provide defense in depth, where applications using Jasper can validate JPEG 2000 file headers and parameters before passing them to the library for processing. Network-based protections such as content filtering and sandboxing techniques can also help prevent malicious files from reaching vulnerable applications. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual CPU usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service, where attackers can leverage software vulnerabilities to consume system resources and render services unavailable to legitimate users. The remediation approach should include comprehensive testing of the patched library to ensure that legitimate JPEG 2000 files continue to process correctly while preventing the infinite loop condition from occurring.