CVE-2018-17100 in LibTIFF
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in LibTIFF 4.0.9. There is a int32 overflow in multiply_ms in tools/ppm2tiff.c, which can cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted image file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17100 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the LibTIFF library version 4.0.9, specifically affecting the multiply_ms function located in the tools/ppm2tiff.c source file. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and arithmetic overflow handling when processing image data, creating a potential vector for both denial of service attacks and unspecified security implications. The vulnerability demonstrates the classic pattern of integer arithmetic overflow where multiplication operations exceed the maximum representable value for a 32-bit signed integer, leading to unexpected behavior in the application's memory management and execution flow.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs during the processing of Portable Pixmap (PPM) image files when the ppm2tiff utility attempts to calculate memory requirements for image data conversion. The multiply_ms function performs multiplication operations without proper bounds checking to prevent overflow conditions, allowing maliciously crafted image files to trigger integer wraparound behavior. When the multiplication results exceed the int32 maximum value of 2,147,483,647, the arithmetic operation wraps around to negative values, causing memory allocation failures or invalid memory access patterns that result in application crashes. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is classified as a fundamental weakness in software arithmetic operations and memory management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors depending on the execution context. When exploited through crafted PPM image files, the vulnerability can cause the ppm2tiff utility to crash, effectively preventing legitimate image conversion operations and creating a denial of service condition for systems relying on this tool. However, the unspecified other impacts suggest potential for more serious consequences including memory corruption that could theoretically be exploited for code execution, particularly in environments where the utility is used in automated processing pipelines or web applications. The vulnerability affects systems that process image files through the LibTIFF library, making it relevant to digital imaging systems, document management platforms, and any application that converts or processes PPM format images.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-17100 should prioritize immediate patching of the LibTIFF library to version 4.0.10 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the integer overflow condition. Organizations should implement input validation measures to sanitize image file inputs before processing, particularly in automated environments where untrusted image data may be encountered. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of systems running ppm2tiff utilities to untrusted image sources. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual process crashes or memory allocation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing proper integer overflow checks and bounds validation in all arithmetic operations, particularly in memory management functions. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and emphasizes the need for defensive programming practices that prevent arithmetic overflow conditions in critical system components. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting and sandboxing measures for image processing utilities to limit potential impact from successful exploitation attempts.