CVE-2022-2520 in libtiff
Summary
by MITRE • 08/31/2022
A flaw was found in libtiff 4.4.0rc1. There is a sysmalloc assertion fail in rotateImage() at tiffcrop.c:8621 that can cause program crash when reading a crafted input.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2520 resides within the libtiff library version 4.4.0rc1, specifically manifesting in the tiffcrop.c source file at line 8621 within the rotateImage() function. This flaw represents a critical memory management issue that can lead to program termination through a sysmalloc assertion failure. The libtiff library serves as a widely-used standard for handling tag image file format files across numerous applications and systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for software ecosystems that rely heavily on TIFF image processing capabilities. The vulnerability is classified as a memory corruption issue that stems from improper handling of memory allocation during image rotation operations, creating a potential denial of service condition that can be triggered by maliciously crafted input files.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the rotateImage() function processes specially crafted TIFF input files that contain malformed metadata or image data structures. The sysmalloc assertion failure indicates that the memory allocation subsystem encounters an unexpected condition during the execution of the rotation algorithm, specifically when attempting to manage memory blocks required for the image transformation process. This assertion failure typically occurs when the memory allocator detects inconsistencies in memory management operations, such as attempting to allocate memory blocks that exceed available resources or when memory corruption has occurred during previous operations. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through normal file processing operations without requiring special privileges or complex attack vectors, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to cause system disruptions.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2520 extends beyond simple program crashes, as it can be leveraged to create denial of service conditions across systems that depend on libtiff for image processing. Applications ranging from web servers handling image uploads to desktop software processing TIFF files can be affected by this vulnerability, potentially leading to service interruptions and system instability. The vulnerability affects the broader TIFF ecosystem since libtiff is integrated into numerous software packages including graphics applications, document management systems, and scientific imaging tools. From an attack perspective, this flaw aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and can be classified under CWE-787 as out-of-bounds write or memory corruption, as the assertion failure suggests memory management violations that could potentially be exploited for more sophisticated attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2520 should prioritize immediate patching of affected libtiff versions, with the release of libtiff 4.4.0 containing the necessary fixes for this assertion failure. System administrators should conduct thorough inventory checks to identify all applications and services utilizing libtiff, particularly those handling untrusted image input from users or external sources. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation and sanitization for TIFF files, deploying sandboxing mechanisms for image processing operations, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular updates to security patches and vulnerability assessments to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust memory management practices in image processing libraries and underscores the need for comprehensive testing of edge cases in multimedia handling components.