CVE-2017-8348 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.5-5, the ReadMATImage function in mat.c allows attackers to cause a denial of service (memory leak) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8348 represents a critical memory management flaw within ImageMagick's handling of MAT image files. This issue specifically affects ImageMagick version 7.0.5-5 and stems from improper memory allocation and deallocation practices within the ReadMATImage function located in the mat.c source file. The flaw manifests when the software processes specially crafted MAT files that exploit memory leak conditions, leading to resource exhaustion and potential system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which categorizes memory leaks as a fundamental weakness in memory management. When ImageMagick encounters a malformed MAT file, the ReadMATImage function fails to properly release allocated memory blocks, causing progressive memory consumption that can eventually lead to system denial of service. This occurs because the function does not implement proper error handling or memory cleanup routines when processing malformed input data, creating a persistent memory leak condition that accumulates over time.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that process untrusted image files, particularly in web applications, content management systems, and file processing services. Attackers can exploit this weakness by uploading or transmitting malicious MAT files that trigger the memory leak during image parsing operations. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as resource exhaustion that could affect system availability and performance. The vulnerability operates at the application level and can be leveraged by adversaries to consume system resources and cause denial of service conditions.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is broad given ImageMagick's widespread adoption across various platforms and applications that rely on its image processing capabilities. Systems that automatically process uploaded images or handle image transformations without proper input validation become particularly vulnerable. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation, limiting memory usage through resource constraints, and applying the latest security patches. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms and monitoring for unusual memory consumption patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Security practitioners should reference the ATT&CK framework's T1499.004 technique for resource exhaustion attacks and consider this vulnerability within broader denial of service attack patterns. The fix typically involves proper memory management practices including implementing robust error handling, ensuring all allocated memory is properly freed, and conducting thorough input validation before processing potentially malicious files. Additionally, system administrators should regularly update ImageMagick installations and implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation attempts.