CVE-2017-18027 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.7-1 Q16, a memory leak vulnerability was found in the function ReadMATImage in coders/mat.c, which allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18027 represents a critical memory leak flaw within ImageMagick's image processing library, specifically affecting version 7.0.7-1 Q16. This issue resides in the ReadMATImage function located within the coders/mat.c source file, making it a direct component of ImageMagick's MAT file format handling capabilities. The flaw manifests when the software processes specially crafted MAT files, which are MATLAB data file formats commonly used for storing arrays and other data structures. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple resource consumption as it provides remote attackers with a mechanism to induce denial of service conditions through strategic manipulation of input data.
The technical nature of this memory leak stems from improper memory management within the ReadMATImage function, where allocated memory blocks are not properly released or deallocated during the parsing process of malformed MAT files. When ImageMagick encounters a crafted input file, the function fails to maintain proper memory cleanup procedures, resulting in progressive memory consumption that can eventually exhaust available system resources. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper release of memory resources, making it a classic example of memory management failure in software applications. The flaw operates at the core level of ImageMagick's image processing pipeline, where it processes binary data structures that are typically expected to be well-formed and valid according to MATLAB's specification standards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates significant security implications for systems that utilize ImageMagick for image processing tasks, particularly in web applications, content management systems, and file upload handling services. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by uploading or providing access to maliciously crafted MAT files, which will trigger the memory leak during the image parsing phase. This allows for sustained denial of service conditions where the target system gradually consumes all available memory resources, leading to application crashes, system instability, or complete service unavailability. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or physical presence, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users can submit arbitrary files for processing, such as web applications, email systems, or file sharing platforms.
Systems utilizing ImageMagick for image processing operations, especially those handling user-uploaded content or processing files from untrusted sources, are particularly vulnerable to this memory leak attack. The flaw is especially concerning in high-availability environments where denial of service can result in significant business impact and service disruption. Organizations running web servers, file processing services, or any application that leverages ImageMagick's MAT file handling capabilities should consider this vulnerability as a critical threat requiring immediate attention. The exploitation mechanism is straightforward and does not require sophisticated techniques, making it accessible to attackers with basic knowledge of file format manipulation and memory leak exploitation methods. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected ImageMagick versions, implementation of input validation controls, and deployment of network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing sandboxed processing environments and resource limiting controls to minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and highlights how seemingly benign file format handling can become a vector for significant security incidents. The flaw's classification within the ATT&CK framework would likely map to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and potentially T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation contexts. The memory leak represents a fundamental failure in resource management practices that can be addressed through proper code review processes, automated memory analysis tools, and adherence to secure coding standards that prevent such resource consumption issues in software libraries.