CVE-2018-13833 in cmft
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in cmft through 2017-09-24. The cmft::rwReadFile function in image.cpp allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stack-based buffer overflow and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13833 resides within the cmft software library, specifically in the cmft::rwReadFile function located in the image.cpp source file. This issue affects versions of the software released through September 24, 2017, representing a critical security flaw that could be exploited by remote attackers to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing certain image files, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to disrupt service availability or execute unauthorized code.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the image processing pipeline of cmft. When the rwReadFile function processes image data, it fails to properly bounds-check buffer allocations, allowing maliciously crafted input to overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking permits data to be written beyond the allocated buffer space. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates over remote network connections, requiring no local privileges or user interaction to exploit the vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the stack-based buffer overflow could potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. While the primary effect is application crash and service disruption, the nature of stack corruption opens possibilities for arbitrary code execution if attackers can control the overflow data to overwrite return addresses or function pointers. This vulnerability affects systems that utilize cmft for image processing tasks, particularly those exposed to untrusted image inputs from external sources, making it a significant concern for web applications, content management systems, and digital asset processing platforms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13833 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the buffer overflow condition in the cmft::rwReadFile function. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running affected cmft versions, particularly those processing external image uploads. Input validation measures should be strengthened at multiple layers to prevent malformed image data from reaching the vulnerable parsing functions, while also implementing proper error handling and application monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual patterns associated with buffer overflow exploitation attempts, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques related to command and control communications and execution of malicious code through software vulnerabilities.