CVE-2022-2719 in ImageMagick
Summary
by MITRE • 08/11/2022
In ImageMagick, a crafted file could trigger an assertion failure when a call to WriteImages was made in MagickWand/operation.c, due to a NULL image list. This could potentially cause a denial of service. This was fixed in upstream ImageMagick version 7.1.0-30.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2719 represents a critical denial of service flaw within ImageMagick's MagickWand API implementation. This issue manifests when processing specially crafted image files that trigger an assertion failure during the WriteImages function execution in the MagickWand/operation.c source file. The root cause stems from a NULL image list condition that occurs when the software attempts to write image data without proper validation of the image list structure, creating a scenario where the assertion check fails and terminates the application process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the MagickWand library's handling of image data structures during output operations. When a maliciously constructed file is processed through the WriteImages function, the software fails to properly validate whether the image list pointer contains valid data before proceeding with the assertion check. This NULL pointer dereference scenario occurs specifically within the operation.c file where the assertion mechanism expects a valid image list but encounters a null reference instead. The flaw operates at the level of software logic validation rather than memory corruption, making it particularly challenging to exploit for more severe attacks but still capable of causing significant operational disruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to systems that rely on ImageMagick for image processing tasks, particularly those handling untrusted user uploads or third-party image files. The denial of service impact can be severe in environments where image processing is a critical component of application functionality, potentially leading to complete service unavailability. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific image files that, when processed through the WriteImages function, will cause the application to terminate unexpectedly. This behavior aligns with CWE-476 which categorizes NULL pointer dereference vulnerabilities as a common class of software defects that can lead to application crashes and denial of service conditions.
The remediation for CVE-2022-2719 was implemented in ImageMagick version 7.1.0-30 through enhanced input validation and proper null pointer checking within the WriteImages function. This fix addresses the core issue by ensuring that the image list parameter is properly validated before any assertion checks are performed, preventing the NULL pointer dereference condition that previously caused the assertion failure. Organizations should prioritize updating to this patched version or implementing equivalent defensive measures to protect their systems from exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. The fix demonstrates a typical software security remediation approach where proper input validation prevents assertion failures that could lead to service disruption, aligning with the ATT&CK technique of process injection and system service manipulation through application-level vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing libraries and the potential for seemingly benign assertion failures to create significant operational impacts. The flaw's classification as a denial of service vulnerability underscores the critical nature of maintaining proper error handling in software components that process external data, particularly in security-sensitive applications where availability is as important as confidentiality and integrity. Organizations utilizing ImageMagick should implement comprehensive monitoring for potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date security patches to prevent unauthorized disruption of image processing services.