CVE-2018-12601 in sam2p
Summary
by MITRE
There is a heap-based buffer overflow in ReadImage in input-tga.ci in sam2p 0.49.4 that leads to a denial of service or possibly unspecified other impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2023
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12601 exists within the sam2p 0.49.4 software suite, specifically within the ReadImage function located in the input-tga.ci module. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that can be exploited through improper input validation when processing TGA image files. The flaw occurs during the parsing of TGA file headers and data structures where the application fails to properly validate the size parameters of image data, leading to memory corruption when attempting to allocate heap memory for image processing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the TGA file parser logic. When the ReadImage function encounters a malformed TGA file with oversized or malformed dimension fields, it proceeds to allocate heap memory based on these invalid size parameters without sufficient validation. This results in a heap-based buffer overflow condition where adjacent memory regions become overwritten, potentially corrupting heap metadata and leading to unpredictable application behavior. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a heap-based buffer overflow, which is a well-documented class of memory safety issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment and memory layout. When exploited, the buffer overflow can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing the software functionality. However, the vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that under certain conditions, it might be exploitable for more severe consequences including privilege escalation or remote code execution. The nature of heap corruption means that the exact behavior can vary significantly based on memory layout and system configuration, making exploitation both challenging and unpredictable.
Organizations utilizing sam2p 0.49.4 for image processing tasks should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability. The most effective approach involves upgrading to a patched version of the software where the input validation has been strengthened to properly validate TGA file headers and dimension parameters before memory allocation occurs. Additionally, implementing input sanitization measures such as strict file format validation and limiting file size restrictions can provide defense-in-depth protection. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable versions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) as potential attack vectors, with the vulnerability serving as a precursor for more advanced exploitation techniques. The remediation strategy should also include comprehensive testing of image processing workflows to ensure that only properly validated files are processed, and regular security audits to identify other potential memory safety issues within similar image processing libraries.