CVE-2018-11578 in ngiflib
Summary
by MITRE
GifIndexToTrueColor in ngiflib.c in MiniUPnP ngiflib 0.4 has a Segmentation fault.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11578 resides within the ngiflib library version 0.4, specifically within the GifIndexToTrueColor function located in the ngiflib.c source file. This issue represents a critical memory corruption flaw that manifests as a segmentation fault during image processing operations. The vulnerability occurs when the library attempts to convert GIF image index values to true color representations, indicating a potential buffer overread or improper memory access pattern that could be exploited by malicious actors.
This segmentation fault vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the GIF parsing functionality of the MiniUPnP ngiflib library. The GifIndexToTrueColor function likely processes color palette data from GIF files without sufficient bounds checking, allowing for improper memory access when handling malformed or specially crafted GIF images. The flaw falls under the category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a buffer overflow or out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability, which aligns with CWE-125 and CWE-787 classifications related to out-of-bounds reads and memory corruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within systems that utilize this library. When a segmentation fault occurs, it typically results in application termination, which can lead to denial of service conditions in network services or applications that depend on proper GIF image handling. Systems using MiniUPnP software components that process user-uploaded GIF files or handle GIF data from external sources become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability could be exploited in contexts where the affected library is used to process untrusted input, such as web applications, network services, or embedded systems that handle multimedia content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11578 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected ngiflib library to version 0.5 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory access issues. Organizations should also implement input validation measures to restrict GIF file processing and sanitize all user-uploaded content before it is processed by applications utilizing this library. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of systems that might be vulnerable to exploitation through this flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and highlights the need for comprehensive testing including fuzzing and boundary condition testing. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through segmentation fault occurrences and abnormal application behavior in systems that process GIF images, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network disruption and system resource exhaustion attacks.