CVE-2017-15264 in IrfanView
Summary
by MITRE
IrfanView version 4.44 (32bit) allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted .tif file, related to "Data from Faulting Address is used as one or more arguments in a subsequent Function Call starting at image00000000_00400000+0x00000000000236e4."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2019
CVE-2017-15264 represents a critical vulnerability in IrfanView version 4.44 32bit that demonstrates a classic buffer overflow condition within the TIFF image parsing component. This vulnerability arises from improper input validation when processing maliciously crafted .tif files, where the application fails to properly sanitize data from faulting addresses before using it as arguments in subsequent function calls. The flaw occurs at the specific memory offset 0x00000000000236e4 within the image00000000 executable, indicating a precise location where memory corruption can be triggered through malformed TIFF metadata structures. The vulnerability stems from CWE-125 which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, where the application attempts to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory safety issues that have been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature as primary attack vectors for privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the description suggest potential for more severe consequences including remote code execution or privilege escalation. When an attacker crafts a malicious TIFF file, the application's image processing routine encounters corrupted data from the faulting address and attempts to use this invalid data as parameters for subsequent function calls. This creates a chain reaction where the application's memory management becomes compromised, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate program execution flow or corrupt critical system resources. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because IrfanView is widely used as a default image viewer on Windows systems, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit user trust and automatic execution behaviors. The 32bit architecture limitation further compounds the risk as it restricts the available memory addressing space and increases the likelihood of successful exploitation through stack-based buffer overflow techniques.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as part of the broader ATT&CK framework's T1203 technique category, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of IrfanView to version 4.45 or later, which includes proper input validation and bounds checking for TIFF file processing. Additionally, system administrators should implement strict file type validation at network perimeters and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate image processing operations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input sanitization practices and proper memory management in image processing libraries, aligning with industry standards such as those recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected applications using similar image parsing libraries, as this type of flaw often indicates broader architectural issues in software components that handle external data inputs. The security community should also consider this vulnerability in the context of zero-day exploitation patterns and ensure that automated threat detection systems are updated to recognize the specific memory access patterns associated with this flaw.