CVE-2017-18271 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.7-16 Q16 x86_64 2017-12-22, an infinite loop vulnerability was found in the function ReadMIFFImage in coders/miff.c, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU exhaustion) via a crafted MIFF image file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18271 represents a critical denial of service flaw within ImageMagick's processing pipeline, specifically targeting the ReadMIFFImage function within the coders/miff.c module. This issue affects ImageMagick version 7.0.7-16 Q16 x86_64 released on December 22, 2017, and demonstrates how seemingly benign image file parsing can be weaponized to exhaust system resources through infinite loop execution patterns.
The technical flaw manifests when ImageMagick processes a specially crafted MIFF (Magick Image File Format) image file that contains malformed data structures within its header or metadata sections. The ReadMIFFImage function fails to properly validate loop termination conditions during the parsing process, causing the software to enter an infinite loop when encountering specific byte sequences or parameter combinations within the MIFF file structure. This condition occurs because the parsing logic does not adequately check for boundary conditions or malicious input patterns that would normally terminate parsing iterations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for systems that process untrusted image files, particularly those that utilize ImageMagick as part of their image handling workflows. Attackers can exploit this flaw by preparing a malicious MIFF file that, when processed by vulnerable ImageMagick installations, causes the application to consume excessive CPU resources in an endless loop. The resulting system exhaustion can lead to complete denial of service for legitimate users and applications that depend on image processing capabilities, effectively rendering the affected service unavailable.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-835, which defines the weakness of infinite loops or infinite recursion in software implementations, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion. Organizations utilizing ImageMagick for image processing, content management systems, web applications, or any service that accepts image uploads must consider this vulnerability as a critical threat vector that can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or specialized attack infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise availability of critical business applications that rely on image processing functionality.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of ImageMagick installations to versions that address this specific infinite loop condition, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all image file processing, and deploying network-level protections such as rate limiting and file type validation. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing sandboxed processing environments for untrusted image files and establishing monitoring systems to detect unusual CPU utilization patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and robust error handling in multimedia processing libraries that handle untrusted data from external sources.