CVE-2019-11005 in GraphicsMagick
Summary
by MITRE
In GraphicsMagick 1.4 snapshot-20190322 Q8, there is a stack-based buffer overflow in the function SVGStartElement of coders/svg.c, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a quoted font family value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11005 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow within GraphicsMagick version 1.4 snapshot-20190322 Q8, specifically within the SVGStartElement function located in the coders/svg.c source file. This flaw arises from inadequate input validation when processing SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files, particularly when handling quoted font family values within SVG elements. The buffer overflow occurs when the application attempts to store data beyond the allocated stack buffer space, creating a potential exploitation vector for remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in the SVG parsing logic where the application fails to adequately validate the length of font family values contained within quoted strings in SVG documents. When an attacker crafts a malicious SVG file containing an excessively long quoted font family value, the parsing function attempts to copy this data into a fixed-size stack buffer without sufficient size validation. This condition creates a classic stack buffer overflow scenario where adjacent memory locations become overwritten, potentially corrupting the stack frame and execution flow of the application. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition causing application crashes, though the potential for more severe impacts including arbitrary code execution cannot be ruled out based on the nature of stack corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that process untrusted SVG content, particularly web applications, content management systems, and image processing services that accept user-uploaded graphics files. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger the vulnerability without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing environments where SVG files are commonly processed for display or conversion purposes. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise system integrity if the overflow leads to code execution or memory corruption that can be leveraged for more advanced attacks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overflow into adjacent memory locations. This classification indicates the fundamental flaw lies in the improper handling of variable-length input data within fixed-size stack buffers. The attack surface is further expanded when considering the ATT&CK framework's T1203 Exploitation for Execution and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter categories, as this vulnerability could potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges within the affected system. Organizations utilizing GraphicsMagick for SVG processing should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, updated software versions, and network segmentation to prevent exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize the immediate deployment of updated GraphicsMagick versions that address this specific buffer overflow vulnerability through proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms. Additionally, implementing strict input validation measures for SVG files, including length restrictions on font family values and comprehensive sanitization of user-provided content, can significantly reduce the attack surface. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems should be configured to scan and block suspicious SVG content. The implementation of memory protection mechanisms including stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and non-executable stack protections can provide additional layers of defense against potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow conditions within the application's codebase and ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats.