CVE-2017-15281 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ReadPSDImage in coders/psd.c in ImageMagick 7.0.7-6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, related to "Conditional jump or move depends on uninitialised value(s)."
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2023
CVE-2017-15281 represents a critical vulnerability in ImageMagick's PSD file handling component that exposes systems to remote denial of service attacks and potential additional security implications. This vulnerability resides within the ReadPSDImage function located in the coders/psd.c source file of ImageMagick version 7.0.7-6, making it particularly dangerous as it affects a widely used image processing library. The flaw manifests when processing specially crafted PSD files that contain uninitialized memory values, leading to unpredictable behavior in the application's conditional execution paths. The vulnerability specifically relates to uninitialized value usage in conditional jumps or moves, a pattern commonly classified under CWE-457 as "Use of Uninitialized Variable" and also connects to CWE-672 as "Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release" when considering memory management implications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious PSD file that triggers undefined behavior in ImageMagick's image processing pipeline. When the vulnerable software attempts to read and interpret the malformed PSD file, the uninitialized memory values cause conditional execution paths to behave unpredictably, resulting in application crashes or potentially more severe consequences. The conditional jump or move dependencies on uninitialized values create a scenario where the program's execution flow becomes dependent on garbage data, leading to either immediate termination or execution of unintended code paths. This vulnerability directly impacts the software's reliability and availability, as demonstrated by the denial of service characteristics, while also potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks depending on the specific execution context and memory layout. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1499.004 as "Endpoint Denial of Service" and potentially T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" if the vulnerable application processes JavaScript within image contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15281 extends beyond simple application crashes, as it represents a fundamental flaw in how ImageMagick handles image file parsing and validation. Systems that process untrusted image files through ImageMagick, including web applications, content management systems, and file upload services, become vulnerable to remote exploitation. The vulnerability affects not only direct application usage but also indirect attack vectors through web interfaces that utilize ImageMagick for image processing tasks. Organizations running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick face significant risk of service disruption, as attackers can reliably crash applications by uploading malicious PSD files, effectively creating a denial of service condition that impacts legitimate users and system availability. The potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that under certain conditions, this vulnerability might enable privilege escalation or information disclosure, though the primary documented effect remains service disruption. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where ImageMagick is used as a backend service for image processing, such as in e-commerce platforms, social media applications, and document management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15281 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary recommendation involves updating ImageMagick to version 7.0.7-7 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched through proper initialization of memory values and improved input validation. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as restricting file type processing, implementing file extension validation, and deploying sandboxed execution environments for image processing tasks. Network-level controls including firewall rules that limit access to image processing endpoints and web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious file uploads provide additional layers of protection. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning that can identify systems running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick, particularly in environments where image processing libraries are used without proper version control or update mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management practices and input validation in image processing libraries, emphasizing that even seemingly benign file format parsing can create significant security risks. Organizations should also establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely updates of security-critical libraries, as this vulnerability demonstrates how a single flaw in a widely-used library can create widespread exposure across multiple applications and systems.