CVE-2017-14617 in Poppler
Summary
by MITRE
In Poppler 0.59.0, a floating point exception occurs in the ImageStream class in Stream.cc, which may lead to a potential attack when handling malicious PDF files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14617 represents a critical floating point exception within the Poppler PDF rendering library version 0.59.0. This issue manifests specifically within the ImageStream class located in the Stream.cc source file, where improper handling of certain PDF elements can trigger unexpected arithmetic operations that result in system crashes or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability exposes a fundamental flaw in how the library processes image data streams, particularly when encountering malformed or maliciously crafted PDF content that contains specially constructed image parameters designed to exploit this specific exception handling mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the PDF parsing pipeline of Poppler. When the ImageStream class attempts to process image data from a PDF file, it performs mathematical operations that can result in division by zero or other invalid floating point operations when encountering corrupted or crafted image stream parameters. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-191, which specifically addresses integer underflow conditions, though in this case the manifestation involves floating point exceptions rather than integer arithmetic issues. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient exception handling in security-critical code paths that process untrusted input data from external sources.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14617 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it creates potential attack vectors for remote code execution or system compromise when exploited in conjunction with other vulnerabilities. Attackers can craft malicious PDF documents that, when opened by applications relying on Poppler for PDF rendering, will trigger the floating point exception and cause the target application to crash or behave unpredictably. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where PDF processing occurs automatically, such as web browsers, email clients, or document management systems, as it can be leveraged for targeted attacks against end users or automated processing systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation or system compromise through the manipulation of input data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Poppler installations to version 0.59.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper floating point exception handling. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures for all PDF processing pipelines, including the deployment of sandboxed environments for PDF rendering operations to contain potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious PDF content patterns associated with known exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper exception handling and input validation within the ImageStream class, ensuring that malformed image data streams do not result in arithmetic exceptions that could be exploited by malicious actors.