CVE-2017-14859 in Exiv2
Summary
by MITRE
An Invalid memory address dereference was discovered in Exiv2::StringValueBase::read in value.cpp in Exiv2 0.26. The vulnerability causes a segmentation fault and application crash, which leads to denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14859 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Exiv2 image metadata processing library version 0.26. This flaw exists in the Exiv2::StringValueBase::read function located in the value.cpp source file, where improper handling of memory addresses during metadata parsing operations creates a condition that can be exploited to cause system instability. The vulnerability specifically manifests as an invalid memory address dereference, a common class of software defects that occurs when a program attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly allocated or are otherwise inaccessible.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the scope of CWE-476, which categorizes null pointer dereference conditions, though this particular instance involves invalid memory addresses rather than null pointers. When an attacker crafts malicious image metadata that triggers this specific code path, the application fails to properly validate memory access patterns before attempting to read from allocated memory regions. This results in a segmentation fault that terminates the executing process and causes a complete application crash, effectively rendering the vulnerable software unusable for its intended purpose.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant denial of service condition that can be exploited by adversaries who possess the ability to influence or upload image files processed by applications utilizing the affected Exiv2 library. The flaw affects any system or application that relies on Exiv2 for image metadata handling, including content management systems, digital asset management platforms, and various image processing applications. The crash occurs during the metadata reading phase, meaning that even benign image files could potentially trigger this condition if they contain malformed metadata structures that cause the library to follow the problematic code path.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes denial of service attacks targeting application availability. Organizations using Exiv2 in their image processing pipelines face substantial risk as attackers can reliably cause service disruptions by uploading specifically crafted images that trigger the memory dereference condition. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially affect broader system availability when the affected applications are integral to business operations or user-facing services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14859 primarily involve immediate patching of the Exiv2 library to version 0.27 or later, where the memory handling logic has been corrected to properly validate memory addresses before access. System administrators should also implement input validation controls that sanitize image metadata prior to processing, though this approach provides only partial protection since the vulnerability exists within the core library functionality. Additionally, deploying application-level sandboxing or containerization techniques can help isolate the impact of such crashes, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect and alert on application crash patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of memory safety in image processing libraries, where malformed input can lead to complete system compromise or service disruption.