CVE-2023-47995 in FreeImage
Summary
by MITRE • 01/10/2024
Buffer Overflow vulnerability in BitmapAccess.cpp::FreeImage_AllocateBitmap in FreeImage 3.18.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2025
The buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-47995 resides within the FreeImage library version 3.18.0, specifically in the BitmapAccess.cpp file within the FreeImage_AllocateBitmap function. This critical flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability manifests during the bitmap allocation process where insufficient input validation and bounds checking allow maliciously crafted image data to trigger memory corruption. Such buffer overflows are particularly dangerous in image processing libraries since they can be exploited through image file parsing operations that are commonly encountered in web applications, media processing systems, and digital content management platforms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when FreeImage processes malformed bitmap files that contain oversized or malformed dimensions, leading to improper memory allocation calculations. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of image metadata parameters such as width, height, and pixel count values that are directly used to determine memory allocation sizes. When attackers provide carefully crafted input that exceeds expected limits, the FreeImage_AllocateBitmap function attempts to allocate memory insufficient for the requested bitmap dimensions, resulting in buffer overflow conditions. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a common class of memory safety issues that have plagued software systems for decades. The attack vector typically involves sending malicious image files to applications that utilize FreeImage for image processing, making it particularly relevant in web applications and content delivery systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-47995 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can potentially lead to more severe consequences including application crashes, system instability, and in some cases, arbitrary code execution depending on the system architecture and memory layout. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can cause target applications to terminate unexpectedly, leading to service disruption and potential data loss. The denial of service aspect is particularly concerning for web applications, content management systems, and media processing platforms that rely heavily on image handling capabilities. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability fits within the ATT&CK framework under the T1499.004 technique category, specifically targeting application availability through resource exhaustion and memory corruption attacks. The vulnerability affects systems where FreeImage is integrated into larger applications, including but not limited to web servers, image processing pipelines, and digital asset management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-47995 should prioritize immediate patching of the FreeImage library to version 3.18.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement input validation measures at the application level to sanitize image file parameters before passing them to FreeImage processing functions. Additionally, deploying memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention can provide additional defense-in-depth layers against potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should monitor for unusual application behavior or crash patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify malicious image file uploads. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party libraries and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures that include fuzzing and memory safety analysis to prevent similar issues from manifesting in production environments.