CVE-2017-5498 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
libjasper/include/jasper/jas_math.h in JasPer 1.900.17 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via vectors involving left shift of a negative value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5498 resides within the JasPer library version 1.900.17, specifically in the jas_math.h header file. This issue represents a classic integer overflow condition that can be exploited to trigger a denial of service attack. The flaw occurs when the library processes image data containing malformed or specially crafted parameters that result in left shifting negative values during mathematical operations. Such operations are particularly dangerous in C-based systems where bit shifting operations with negative operands can lead to undefined behavior and system crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the mathematical functions of the JasPer library. When processing image formats such as jpeg2000, the library performs bit manipulation operations that involve left shifting values. In the case of negative numbers, the left shift operation can produce unpredictable results due to the underlying two's complement representation of negative integers in most computing architectures. This particular flaw falls under the category of CWE-191 Integer Underflow/Overflow, which is a well-documented weakness in software security practices where arithmetic operations produce results that exceed the representable range of the target data type.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect any application or system that relies on JasPer for image processing capabilities. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious image files or data streams that trigger the problematic code path during image decoding or processing. The consequence is a system crash or application termination, effectively creating a denial of service condition that can be exploited at scale across multiple targets. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where automated image processing is common, such as web applications, content management systems, or digital asset management platforms that utilize JasPer for image format conversion and rendering.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 Network Denial of Service, as it enables attackers to disrupt services through targeted exploitation of software flaws. The attack surface is broad given that JasPer is a widely used open source library for image processing, with implementations found in numerous applications including web servers, image processing frameworks, and multimedia applications. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface assessment, particularly when evaluating applications that handle user-provided image content or perform image processing tasks that may invoke JasPer functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5498 should prioritize immediate patching of affected JasPer library versions, with the recommended approach being an upgrade to version 2.0.14 or later where this vulnerability has been resolved. Organizations should also implement input validation and sanitization measures to prevent malformed image data from reaching the vulnerable code paths, particularly in web-facing applications. Additional defensive measures include deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious image file patterns and implementing application-level restrictions on image processing operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper integer handling in security-critical libraries and highlights the necessity of thorough code review practices, particularly around mathematical operations involving potentially untrusted data inputs.