CVE-2017-9098 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick before 7.0.5-2 uses uninitialized memory in the RLE decoder, allowing an attacker to leak sensitive information from process memory space, as demonstrated by remote attacks against ImageMagick code in a long-running server process that converts image data on behalf of multiple users. This is caused by a missing initialization step in the ReadRLEImage function in coders/rle.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9098 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within ImageMagick's handling of Run-Length Encoded image data. This issue affects versions prior to 7.0.5-2 and stems from improper memory initialization within the RLE decoder component. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the ReadRLEImage function located in the coders/rle.c source file where uninitialized memory segments are accessed without proper initialization before being processed. This flaw creates a scenario where attackers can potentially extract sensitive data from the process memory space of affected systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted malicious image files that trigger the RLE decoding process. When an attacker uploads or otherwise presents a specially constructed image file to a vulnerable ImageMagick instance, the uninitialized memory values are read and potentially exposed to the attacker. This information leakage can include cryptographic keys, user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive data that may be present in the memory space of the running ImageMagick process. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely against long-running server processes that handle multiple user requests, amplifying the potential impact of information disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9098 extends beyond simple information leakage, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities or attack vectors. In web server environments where ImageMagick processes user-uploaded images, attackers can leverage this vulnerability to harvest sensitive information from process memory, potentially compromising user sessions, application secrets, or system-level credentials. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly dangerous in cloud environments or shared hosting scenarios where multiple users interact with the same ImageMagick instance. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-457, which describes the use of uninitialized memory, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to ImageMagick 7.0.5-2 or later releases where the uninitialized memory issue has been resolved. System administrators should also implement proper input validation and sanitization for all image processing workflows, including implementing file type checks and content verification before processing. Network-level protections such as restricting access to image processing endpoints and implementing rate limiting can help reduce the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying application firewalls or web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious image file patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices in security-critical software components, particularly in image processing libraries that handle untrusted input from multiple sources.