CVE-2018-3887 in PhotoLine
Summary
by MITRE
A memory corruption vulnerability exists in the PCX-parsing functionality of Computerinsel Photoline 20.53. A specially crafted PCX image processed via the application can lead to an out-of-bounds write, overwriting arbitrary data. An attacker can deliver a PCX image to trigger this vulnerability and gain code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3887 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the PCX image parsing component of Computerinsel Photoline version 20.53. This issue manifests as an out-of-bounds write condition that occurs when the application processes specially crafted PCX image files. The flaw resides in the handling of image data structures during the parsing process, where insufficient bounds checking allows maliciously formatted data to overwrite memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. Such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper input validation and memory management practices within image processing libraries. The affected application fails to properly validate the dimensions and data structure of PCX files before attempting to parse and render them, creating a pathway for arbitrary memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables an attacker to achieve remote code execution through a simple file delivery mechanism. When a victim opens or processes the malicious PCX image file, the application's parsing routine encounters the crafted data structure that triggers the out-of-bounds write condition. This memory corruption can overwrite critical program data, function pointers, or return addresses, potentially allowing an attacker to redirect execution flow and inject malicious code. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that PCX format support is commonly used in image processing workflows, making it a viable attack vector for unsuspecting users who might encounter such files through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network resources. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1203 for exploitation for execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3887 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks within compromised systems. Organizations using Photoline 20.53 are at risk of unauthorized code execution, data exfiltration, or system compromise when processing untrusted image files. The vulnerability affects users across various deployment scenarios including desktop environments, networked workstations, and potentially cloud-based image processing services that utilize this software. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of broader threat modeling exercises, particularly in environments where users frequently process images from external sources or where the application runs with elevated privileges. The risk assessment should include evaluation of existing network segmentation, user access controls, and file validation policies to determine the potential attack surface and impact scope.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3887 should prioritize immediate software updates from Computerinsel, as the vendor has likely released patches addressing the memory corruption issue. Organizations should implement strict file validation procedures that filter or sanitize image files before processing, particularly focusing on PCX format files from untrusted sources. Network-based security controls including email filtering, web proxies, and intrusion detection systems can help prevent delivery of malicious PCX files to end users. Additionally, security awareness training should emphasize the dangers of opening suspicious image files, while system hardening measures such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention should be enabled to reduce exploit reliability. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should include evaluation of image processing applications to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities, with particular attention to legacy software components that may not receive regular security updates. The remediation process should also involve monitoring for exploitation attempts through log analysis and implementing comprehensive incident response procedures to address potential compromise of systems running vulnerable versions of Photoline.