CVE-2017-15240 in IrfanView
Summary
by MITRE
IrfanView version 4.44 (32bit) with PDF plugin version 4.43 allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted .pdf file, related to a "Read Access Violation starting at PDF!xmlParserInputRead+0x0000000000132cef."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15240 affects IrfanView version 4.44 when used with the PDF plugin version 4.43, representing a critical security flaw that can be exploited to trigger denial of service conditions or potentially lead to more severe consequences. This issue stems from improper handling of malformed PDF files within the image viewing application's PDF plugin component, which is designed to enable users to view PDF documents directly within the IrfanView environment without requiring separate PDF reader software.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in a read access violation occurring at the PDF!xmlParserInputRead+0x0000000000132cef memory location, indicating that the application's PDF parsing functionality fails to properly validate input data before attempting to read from memory addresses. This particular memory access violation demonstrates a classic buffer over-read condition where the XML parser attempts to access memory beyond allocated boundaries, leading to application instability and potential system crashes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read, which represents a fundamental flaw in memory management where the application processes data beyond the intended boundaries of allocated memory regions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to end users who may unknowingly encounter maliciously crafted PDF files that could cause IrfanView to crash or behave unpredictably. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest potential for more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution or information disclosure. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting specially designed PDF files that, when opened within IrfanView with the PDF plugin enabled, trigger the memory access violation and cause the application to terminate unexpectedly or potentially allow further exploitation.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it leverages the common practice of opening various file types within image viewing applications, where users may not be aware that PDF documents are being processed through the application's plugin architecture. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code or cause system instability. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in social engineering scenarios where users might inadvertently open compromised PDF documents.
Organizations and individual users should immediately disable or remove the PDF plugin from IrfanView installations until a patched version is available, as this vulnerability represents a persistent threat that can be exploited remotely through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious file sharing platforms. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to the latest version of IrfanView and its PDF plugin components, ensuring that all users have access to security patches that address this memory access violation. Additionally, implementing network-based security controls such as email filtering and web content filtering can help prevent users from encountering malicious PDF files that exploit this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider monitoring for unusual application crashes or memory access violations that might indicate exploitation attempts.