CVE-2024-28572 in FreeImage
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2024
Buffer Overflow vulnerability in open source FreeImage v.3.19.0 [r1909] allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) via the FreeImage_SetTagValue() function when reading images in JPEG format.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-28572 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the FreeImage library version 3.19.0, specifically affecting the FreeImage_SetTagValue() function during JPEG image processing operations. This open source library serves as a widely-used multimedia framework for image handling across numerous applications and systems, making the discovery of such a vulnerability particularly concerning for security professionals and system administrators. The flaw manifests when the library attempts to process JPEG formatted images, specifically during the tag value setting operation where insufficient bounds checking occurs.
The technical nature of this buffer overflow stems from inadequate input validation within the FreeImage_SetTagValue() function, which fails to properly verify the size of data being written to memory buffers. When processing JPEG images, the library reads metadata tags and attempts to store them in allocated memory spaces without sufficient boundary checks. This allows a local attacker with the ability to craft malicious JPEG files to manipulate the memory allocation process, potentially leading to memory corruption that can cause application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability operates at the memory management level, where the buffer overflow occurs during the tag value assignment phase, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by legitimate image processing operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems that rely on FreeImage for image processing tasks, including web applications, multimedia software, content management systems, and digital asset management platforms. The local nature of the attack means that an attacker must already have access to the target system to exploit this vulnerability, but the potential for denial of service remains high as the flaw can cause applications using FreeImage to crash or become unresponsive. This can result in service disruption for legitimate users and may provide attackers with opportunities to escalate their privileges or create persistent access points within affected systems. The vulnerability affects any system running FreeImage version 3.19.0 or earlier, making it a widespread concern across numerous software implementations that depend on this library.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-28572 should prioritize immediate software updates to the latest available version of FreeImage where the buffer overflow has been patched and addressed. System administrators should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all applications and services that utilize FreeImage 3.19.0 or earlier versions, implementing comprehensive patch management procedures to remediate affected systems. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation controls at application layers that use FreeImage, employing memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for image processing operations and regularly reviewing their software dependencies to ensure they are running patched versions of critical libraries. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for denial of service attacks, highlighting the importance of proper memory management and input validation in preventing such exploits.