CVE-2018-9154 in Jasper
Summary
by MITRE
There is a reachable abort in the function jpc_dec_process_sot in libjasper/jpc/jpc_dec.c of JasPer 2.0.14 that will lead to a remote denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9154 represents a critical remote denial of service flaw within the JasPer 2.0.14 image processing library. This issue manifests in the jpc_dec_process_sot function located within the libjasper/jpc/jpc_dec.c source file, where a reachable abort condition can be triggered through crafted input data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the JPEG 2000 decoder implementation, specifically during the processing of Start of Tile (SOT) markers that define the beginning of image data segments. The flaw allows an attacker to construct malicious JPEG 2000 files that when processed by vulnerable applications using JasPer library, will cause the decoding process to terminate abruptly, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects the availability of the affected system or service.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-611, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and more specifically with CWE-129, concerning improper validation of array index values. The abort condition occurs when the decoder encounters malformed or unexpected data structures within the SOT marker segment, causing the application to terminate execution rather than gracefully handling the error or rejecting the invalid input. This behavior creates a predictable crash scenario that can be exploited remotely through any application or service that utilizes the vulnerable JasPer library for image processing, particularly those handling untrusted JPEG 2000 image files from external sources. The vulnerability is classified as a remote denial of service because attackers can trigger the abort condition without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where image processing services are exposed to untrusted input.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-9154 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can affect a wide range of applications and systems that depend on JasPer for image handling capabilities. Web applications, image processing servers, content management systems, and any software platform that accepts user-uploaded JPEG 2000 files become potential targets for this attack vector. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack paths including file upload restrictions bypass, web service API endpoints, or even through embedded image processing within larger software applications. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a significant threat to system availability and operational continuity. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can potentially disrupt services without physical access to the target system, making it particularly concerning for cloud-based services, web applications, and enterprise systems that rely on image processing capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9154 should prioritize immediate patching of the JasPer library to version 2.0.15 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent the abort condition. Organizations should implement input validation and sanitization measures to filter or reject suspicious JPEG 2000 files before they reach the image processing pipeline, utilizing signature-based detection or heuristic analysis to identify potentially malicious content. Network-level defenses can include implementing rate limiting and content filtering mechanisms to prevent exploitation attempts, while application-level protections should enforce strict error handling and graceful degradation when processing untrusted image data. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability, and maintain comprehensive monitoring and alerting for service availability issues that could indicate successful exploitation. The fix implemented in JasPer 2.0.15 addresses the core issue by adding proper bounds checking and error recovery mechanisms within the jpc_dec_process_sot function, preventing the premature abort condition that previously led to denial of service scenarios.