CVE-2017-15798 in IrfanView
Summary
by MITRE
IrfanView version 4.50 (64bit) allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted .dll file that is mishandled during an attempt to render the DLL icon, related to "Data from Faulting Address controls Branch Selection starting at KERNELBASE!EnumResourceNamesInternal+0x0000000000000609."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15798 represents a critical denial of service flaw in IrfanView version 4.50 64-bit edition that stems from improper handling of maliciously crafted dynamic link library files during icon rendering operations. This issue occurs when the application attempts to process a specially constructed .dll file and encounters a fault at the KERNELBASE!EnumResourceNamesInternal function, specifically at offset 0x609 within the branch selection mechanism. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with a control flow hijacking vulnerability where attacker-controlled data from the faulting address influences the program's execution path, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious .dll file that, when processed by IrfanView during icon enumeration, triggers an abnormal execution flow within the Windows kernel base component. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of software fault handling errors and can be classified as CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software applications. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the EnumResourceNamesInternal function call where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input data from the malicious DLL, leading to a potential branch selection manipulation that could result in system crashes or unexpected behavior.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios as it presents potential for more severe consequences including system instability and possible privilege escalation. When an attacker successfully triggers this flaw through a crafted .dll file, the application's failure to properly handle the malformed input can result in complete application termination or system-wide crashes. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where IrfanView is used to process untrusted files, such as email attachments, file sharing platforms, or web downloads, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments and individual users who may inadvertently execute malicious payloads.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework under the T1203 technique for "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" where appropriate. The vulnerability's exploitation pathway aligns with the broader category of software supply chain attacks where malicious files are designed to exploit specific application behaviors. Mitigation strategies should include immediate application updates to versions that address this specific flaw, implementation of strict file validation policies, and deployment of application whitelisting solutions to prevent execution of untrusted DLL files. Additionally, users should avoid opening files from untrusted sources and maintain current antivirus signatures that can detect such malicious DLL constructs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and exception handling in application development, particularly when dealing with external file processing components that interact with system-level functions.