CVE-2017-18229 in GraphicsMagick
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in GraphicsMagick 1.3.26. An allocation failure vulnerability was found in the function ReadTIFFImage in coders/tiff.c, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted file, because file size is not properly used to restrict scanline, strip, and tile allocations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18229 represents a critical memory allocation flaw within GraphicsMagick version 1.3.26, specifically within the TIFF image processing module. This issue manifests in the ReadTIFFImage function located in the coders/tiff.c source file, where improper handling of file size parameters creates a path for malicious input to trigger unintended memory allocation behaviors. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of file dimensions and allocation parameters, allowing attackers to craft specially designed TIFF files that can cause the application to attempt excessive memory allocations beyond normal operational bounds.
This vulnerability operates under the weakness category of CWE-704, which encompasses improper handling of memory allocation failures and resource exhaustion conditions. The technical implementation involves the manipulation of TIFF file headers and metadata to specify exaggerated scanline, strip, and tile dimensions that, when processed by GraphicsMagick, result in allocation requests that can overwhelm system resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the memory management subsystem of the image processing library, where file size parameters are not properly validated against available system resources or reasonable operational limits.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause GraphicsMagick processes to consume excessive memory resources, leading to system instability, application crashes, and resource exhaustion that may affect other services running on the same system. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes resource exhaustion attacks targeting memory availability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where GraphicsMagick is used as a backend processing component for image handling services, as it can be leveraged to disrupt critical image processing workflows and potentially enable cascading failures in larger application ecosystems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-18229 should prioritize immediate patching of GraphicsMagick installations to version 1.3.27 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper allocation validation. System administrators should implement input validation measures that restrict file size parameters and establish memory limits for image processing operations to prevent exploitation. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual memory allocation patterns and implementing network segmentation for image processing services can help reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for image processing tasks to contain potential exploitation attempts and maintain operational continuity during vulnerability remediation efforts.