CVE-2019-12977 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE
ImageMagick 7.0.8-34 has a "use of uninitialized value" vulnerability in the WriteJP2Image function in coders/jp2.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12977 represents a critical memory safety issue within ImageMagick's.jp2 file format processing capabilities. This flaw exists in the WriteJP2Image function located within the coders/jp2.c source file of ImageMagick version 7.0.8-34, where the software fails to properly initialize memory variables before utilization. The issue manifests specifically during the processing of JPEG 2000 image format files when the system attempts to write image data to disk. The root cause stems from improper memory management practices that allow uninitialized memory values to be accessed and potentially exploited by malicious actors.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-457 category of "Use of Uninitialized Variable" which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue in software development. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the WriteJP2Image function processes image data without ensuring that all memory locations are properly initialized before being referenced. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious JPEG 2000 files that trigger the uninitialized memory access during the image writing process. The vulnerability represents a significant risk because it can lead to information disclosure, system instability, or potentially remote code execution depending on the execution environment and memory layout.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-12977 extends across numerous attack vectors within environments that utilize ImageMagick for image processing tasks. Systems that process untrusted image files from web applications, email attachments, or file upload mechanisms become vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 "Exploitation for Client Execution" and can be leveraged in supply chain attacks where malicious actors inject compromised image files into legitimate applications. Organizations using ImageMagick in web applications, content management systems, or file processing pipelines face heightened risk of system compromise, data exfiltration, or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's exploitation potential increases when ImageMagick is integrated into automated processing workflows where unvalidated user input is processed without proper sanitization.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of ImageMagick installations to versions that address the uninitialized memory access issue. Security teams should implement network segmentation and file validation controls to prevent processing of untrusted image files from external sources. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running ImageMagick processes with minimal required permissions and implementing sandboxing techniques. Additional defensive measures include deploying web application firewalls to filter suspicious file uploads, implementing file type validation at multiple layers, and establishing automated monitoring for unusual processing patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing memory protection mechanisms such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to reduce exploitation success rates. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar memory safety issues within the broader software ecosystem.