CVE-2017-5501 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in libjasper/jpc/jpc_tsfb.c in JasPer 1.900.17 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5501 represents a critical integer overflow condition within the JasPer image processing library version 1.900.17. This flaw exists in the file jpc_tsfb.c which handles the transformation and filtering operations for JPEG 2000 image formats. The integer overflow occurs when processing specially crafted image files that contain malformed data structures, specifically within the handling of size parameters during memory allocation operations. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way JasPer processes image headers and metadata during decoding operations. When a maliciously crafted file is processed, the library attempts to perform arithmetic operations on integer values that exceed their maximum representable range, causing the overflow to wrap around to a much smaller value. This manipulated value is then used to determine memory allocation sizes, resulting in insufficient memory allocation or potentially negative memory requests. The flaw manifests when the library encounters image files with corrupted or specially constructed dimension fields that trigger the integer arithmetic overflow during the transformation and filtering stages of JPEG 2000 processing.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service risk for systems that rely on JasPer for image processing capabilities. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by uploading or transmitting a crafted JPEG 2000 file that, when processed by vulnerable applications, causes the target system to crash or become unresponsive. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the vulnerability can potentially be leveraged in broader attack chains where attackers might use the denial of service as a precursor to more sophisticated exploitation techniques. Systems using JasPer in web applications, image processing pipelines, or document management systems are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack, as these environments frequently process untrusted image data from external sources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5501 should focus on immediate patching of affected JasPer library versions to the latest stable releases that contain the necessary integer overflow protections. Organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization for all image file processing workflows, particularly for JPEG 2000 formats. Network-based defenses can include implementing file type restrictions and content inspection rules that identify and block suspicious image file characteristics. Additionally, application-level protections should be implemented to limit the memory consumption and processing time for image file operations, creating additional barriers against exploitation attempts. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to exploit integer overflow conditions in image processing libraries. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper integer handling in security-critical libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource exhaustion attacks through denial of service mechanisms.