CVE-2018-14047 in PNGwriter
Summary
by MITRE
** DISPUTED ** An issue has been found in PNGwriter 0.7.0. It is a SEGV in pngwriter::readfromfile in pngwriter.cc. NOTE: there is a "Warning: PNGwriter was never designed for reading untrusted files with it. Do NOT use this in sensitive environments, especially DO NOT read PNGs from unknown sources with it!" statement in the master/README.md file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14047 affects PNGwriter version 0.7.0, a C++ library designed for creating and manipulating PNG images. This issue manifests as a segmentation fault occurring within the pngwriter::readfromfile function located in the pngwriter.cc source file. The flaw represents a critical security concern that arises from the library's inadequate handling of malformed or maliciously crafted PNG files during the reading process. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because PNGwriter was never intended to process untrusted input sources, yet the library's design does not include proper input validation or sanitization mechanisms to prevent exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking and input validation within the PNG file parsing logic. When the library attempts to read a malformed PNG file, the absence of proper error handling causes the application to crash with a segmentation fault rather than gracefully handling the invalid input or throwing appropriate exceptions. This behavior aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and CWE-248, which covers uncaught exceptions in software systems. The segmentation fault represents a denial of service condition that can be exploited by attackers who can control the input to the library, potentially leading to application crashes or system instability in environments where PNGwriter is used.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for applications that utilize PNGwriter for processing user-uploaded or externally sourced PNG files. The warning included in the README.md file explicitly cautions against using the library in sensitive environments, particularly when dealing with PNG files from unknown sources. This vulnerability directly conflicts with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or cause system disruption. The impact extends beyond simple crashes, as the library's failure to properly handle malformed input can lead to more severe consequences including potential privilege escalation or information disclosure in complex application environments where PNGwriter is integrated.
The recommended mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation before passing files to PNGwriter, utilizing alternative libraries with better security track records for processing untrusted PNG files, or implementing additional layers of protection such as sandboxing or file format validation prior to PNGwriter processing. Organizations should consider replacing PNGwriter with more robust image processing libraries that have been designed with security in mind, particularly in environments where external or user-generated content is processed. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices and input validation as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices, emphasizing that libraries designed for trusted environments should never be used for processing untrusted input without proper security controls in place.