CVE-2017-18008 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.7-17 Q16, there is a Memory Leak in ReadPWPImage in coders/pwp.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18008 represents a critical memory management flaw within ImageMagick's processing pipeline, specifically affecting version 7.0.7-17 in its Q16 configuration. This issue manifests as a memory leak during the execution of the ReadPWPImage function, which is responsible for handling PWP image format decoding within the software's extensive coder library. The PWP format, or Portable Word Processor, is a lesser-known image format that ImageMagick supports for compatibility purposes, making this vulnerability particularly concerning given the software's widespread use in image processing workflows across various platforms and applications. The memory leak occurs when the application fails to properly release allocated memory resources during the image reading process, creating a persistent resource consumption issue that can degrade system performance over time.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory deallocation within the coders/pwp.c source file, where the ReadPWPImage function does not adequately handle memory cleanup operations for allocated data structures. This flaw aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses memory leaks in software applications, and represents a classic example of insufficient resource management that can lead to progressive memory exhaustion. The vulnerability operates at the application level within ImageMagick's image processing framework, where the software processes image files through a series of coders that handle different file formats. When processing PWP formatted images, the function fails to properly dispose of memory allocated for image data, metadata, and auxiliary processing structures, resulting in accumulated memory consumption that can eventually lead to system instability or denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of this memory leak vulnerability extends beyond simple resource consumption issues, as it creates potential for system instability and performance degradation in environments where ImageMagick is actively processing multiple image files. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness through a denial of service attack by submitting multiple PWP formatted images to a system running vulnerable ImageMagick versions, causing progressive memory exhaustion that could lead to application crashes or system resource depletion. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in server environments or applications that process untrusted image uploads, where malicious actors could leverage this flaw to disrupt services or compromise system availability. Additionally, the memory leak could compound with other resource management issues, creating cascading effects that impact overall system performance and potentially enabling more sophisticated attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-18008 should prioritize immediate patching of affected ImageMagick installations to version 7.0.7-18 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of system resources and memory usage patterns when ImageMagick is in use, particularly in environments handling multiple image processing tasks. The implementation of input validation and sanitization measures can help reduce exposure by limiting the types of image files processed and implementing timeouts for image handling operations. Security teams should also consider deploying application whitelisting controls and restricting ImageMagick's file format support to only those necessary for legitimate business operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service and the T1059.007 technique involving command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers could leverage the memory leak to establish persistent resource exhaustion conditions that could interfere with legitimate system operations. System administrators should also implement regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar memory management issues within the broader software ecosystem, particularly focusing on image processing libraries and applications that handle file format conversions.