CVE-2017-17885 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.7-12 Q16, a memory leak vulnerability was found in the function ReadPICTImage in coders/pict.c, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted PICT image file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17885 represents a critical memory leak flaw within ImageMagick's processing pipeline for PICT image format files. This issue manifests specifically within the ReadPICTImage function located in the coders/pict.c source file of ImageMagick version 7.0.7-12 Q16. The flaw arises from inadequate memory management during the parsing and interpretation of malformed PICT image structures, creating a condition where allocated memory segments are not properly released back to the system. This memory leak vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper release of memory resources, making it a classic example of memory management failure in software applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through crafted PICT image files that, when processed by ImageMagick, trigger the memory leak condition repeatedly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, as it can be leveraged to create sustained denial of service conditions against systems that rely on ImageMagick for image processing tasks. When an attacker submits a maliciously crafted PICT file to a vulnerable system, the ReadPICTImage function consumes increasing amounts of memory with each processing attempt, eventually leading to system resource exhaustion and application crashes. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, as the memory consumption pattern can effectively render systems unusable. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web applications or services that accept user-uploaded images, as it provides a straightforward path for remote attackers to disrupt service availability. The memory leak occurs during the parsing phase where the application fails to properly handle malformed PICT structures, causing memory allocation without corresponding deallocation, which can accumulate over time and lead to system instability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17885 require immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 7.0.7-13 or later, where the memory leak has been addressed through proper memory management implementation. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including image validation and sanitization before processing, limiting the maximum file size and processing time for image uploads, and employing sandboxing techniques to contain potential memory leak impacts. The fix typically involves ensuring proper memory deallocation in the ReadPICTImage function through the implementation of proper error handling and resource cleanup mechanisms. Security teams should also consider deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious image file processing patterns and implement monitoring for unusual memory consumption spikes during image processing operations. Additionally, organizations should review their image processing workflows to ensure that all input validation occurs before any image parsing begins, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input sanitization in preventing memory management issues. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to ensure that patched versions properly handle all variations of PICT image structures without exhibiting memory leak behavior, aligning with industry best practices for secure software development and vulnerability management.