CVE-2017-9499 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In ImageMagick 7.0.5-7 Q16, an assertion failure was found in the function SetPixelChannelAttributes, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9499 represents a critical assertion failure within ImageMagick's image processing pipeline, specifically affecting version 7.0.5-7 Q16. This flaw exists in the SetPixelChannelAttributes function which is responsible for managing pixel channel attributes during image manipulation operations. The assertion failure occurs when processing malformed or crafted image files, leading to a program termination that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable ImageMagick implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic software robustness issue where insufficient input validation allows attackers to trigger internal consistency checks that result in application crashes.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-617, which describes reachable assertion conditions where program assertions that should never be triggered are actually reached due to improper input handling. The technical nature of the flaw lies in how ImageMagick processes pixel channel attributes without adequate bounds checking or error recovery mechanisms. When a crafted file is processed, the assertion within SetPixelChannelAttributes fails because the expected pixel channel configuration does not match the actual data structure, causing the application to terminate abruptly. This behavior falls under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, as the vulnerability enables remote attackers to disrupt services through crafted input files.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9499 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can affect web applications, content management systems, and any platform that relies on ImageMagick for image processing. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by uploading or otherwise providing maliciously crafted image files that trigger the assertion failure when processed by the vulnerable software. The consequences include complete service unavailability for systems handling image uploads, potential system resource exhaustion through repeated attack attempts, and disruption of business operations that depend on image processing capabilities. Organizations using ImageMagick in web-facing applications are particularly vulnerable, as the attack surface includes any functionality that accepts user-provided image files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9499 should focus on immediate software updates to versions that have patched the assertion failure issue, typically those released after the vulnerability disclosure. System administrators should implement input validation measures including file type verification, size limits, and content scanning to prevent malicious files from reaching the ImageMagick processing pipeline. Additionally, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious file upload patterns and implementing proper error handling within applications using ImageMagick can help reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also consider isolating image processing functions in restricted environments and implementing rate limiting for file upload operations to prevent abuse of the vulnerability through automated attack tools. The fix for this vulnerability required modifications to the input validation logic within the SetPixelChannelAttributes function to properly handle edge cases and malformed data structures that previously caused assertion failures.