CVE-2017-14682 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
GetNextToken in MagickCore/token.c in ImageMagick 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted SVG document, a different vulnerability than CVE-2017-10928.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14682 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within ImageMagick's MagickCore library, specifically in the GetNextToken function located in MagickCore/token.c. This flaw affects ImageMagick version 7.0.6 and enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability through the processing of maliciously crafted SVG documents. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management when parsing token sequences in structured vector graphics files, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited across various networked environments where ImageMagick is deployed for image processing tasks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during the parsing phase of SVG documents where the GetNextToken function fails to properly bounds-check buffer allocations when handling specially constructed token sequences. This oversight allows attackers to overflow heap-allocated memory regions, potentially leading to application crashes, memory corruption, or in some cases arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because SVG files are commonly used in web applications, email attachments, and digital media processing systems where ImageMagick serves as a backend image manipulation library. The flaw operates at the core parsing layer of the image processing pipeline, making it a fundamental weakness that could be leveraged by attackers to compromise systems that rely on ImageMagick for image handling operations.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2017-14682 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including remote code execution and system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems, particularly when ImageMagick is used in web applications, content management systems, or file upload processing services. The attack vector through crafted SVG documents makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users can upload or otherwise submit image files, as it could be exploited through common web application attack patterns. Organizations using ImageMagick in production environments face significant risk from this vulnerability, especially in scenarios where the library processes untrusted image content from external sources.
Security mitigations for CVE-2017-14682 should focus on immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 7.0.7-1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should also implement restrictive file validation policies that limit SVG file processing or employ sandboxed environments when handling untrusted image content. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious SVG payloads before they reach vulnerable systems. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems utilizing ImageMagick and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories related to heap-based buffer overflow conditions and demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in security-critical software components. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through file processing and T1499.004 for denial of service attacks, highlighting its potential for both system compromise and availability disruption in enterprise environments.