CVE-2017-14864 in Exiv2
Summary
by MITRE
An Invalid memory address dereference was discovered in Exiv2::getULong in types.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-2017-14864 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Exiv2 image metadata processing library version 0.26. This flaw exists in the Exiv2::getULong function located within the types.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 can lead to unpredictable behavior and system compromise. This issue affects applications that rely on Exiv2 for processing image files containing metadata, particularly those handling untrusted or malformed image data from external sources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the Exiv2 library's metadata parsing routines. When the Exiv2::getULong function processes certain malformed image metadata structures, it attempts to dereference a memory address that either has not been properly initialized or has already been freed, resulting in a segmentation fault during execution. This memory access violation occurs because the function does not adequately verify the bounds of the data being processed or validate the integrity of the metadata structure before attempting to read from memory locations. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-476, which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions that can lead to application crashes and system instability. The vulnerability essentially creates a scenario where legitimate image processing operations can be disrupted by maliciously crafted metadata, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated image processing is performed on user-uploaded content.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14864 extends beyond simple application crashes to encompass broader security and availability concerns within systems that utilize Exiv2. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate image processing workflows, potentially affecting web applications, content management systems, and digital asset management platforms that depend on Exiv2 for metadata handling. The segmentation fault triggered by this flaw can result in complete application termination, requiring system administrators to restart affected services and potentially leading to cascading failures in larger software ecosystems. In environments where Exiv2 is used to process large volumes of images, such as social media platforms or online photo sharing services, this vulnerability could be leveraged to create sustained denial of service attacks that degrade system performance and availability. The impact is particularly severe because the vulnerability can be triggered through normal image processing operations without requiring special privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14864 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Exiv2 installations to version 0.27 or later, where the memory management issues have been resolved through improved input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of image processing applications to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish automated alerting for segmentation fault occurrences. Network segmentation and input validation controls should be strengthened to prevent untrusted image data from reaching systems that process metadata through Exiv2 libraries. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion, and organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting controls to limit which applications can invoke Exiv2 functions. Additionally, regular security assessments of image processing workflows and automated vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar memory safety issues within the broader software ecosystem. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms around image processing operations to contain potential exploitation attempts and prevent them from affecting core system services.