CVE-2024-32035 in ImageSharp
Summary
by MITRE • 04/15/2024
ImageSharp is a 2D graphics API. A vulnerability discovered in the ImageSharp library, where the processing of specially crafted files can lead to excessive memory usage in image decoders. The vulnerability is triggered when ImageSharp attempts to process image files that are designed to exploit this flaw. This flaw can be exploited to cause a denial of service (DoS) by depleting process memory, thereby affecting applications and services that rely on ImageSharp for image processing tasks. Users and administrators are advised to update to the latest version of ImageSharp that addresses this vulnerability to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The problem has been patched in v3.1.4 and v2.1.8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-32035 represents a critical memory consumption issue within the ImageSharp 2D graphics API library that affects applications processing image files. This flaw manifests when the library encounters specially crafted image files designed to exploit memory allocation patterns during the decoding process, creating a significant risk for systems that depend on ImageSharp for image processing operations. The vulnerability impacts both version 2.1.8 and version 3.1.4 of the library, with the issue being resolved through patches released in these specific versions. The flaw falls under the category of excessive memory allocation vulnerabilities that can be leveraged for denial of service attacks, making it particularly dangerous for web applications and services that handle user-uploaded images.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from how ImageSharp handles memory allocation during image decoding operations, specifically when processing malformed image files that contain crafted parameters designed to trigger excessive memory consumption patterns. The library's image decoders fail to properly validate or limit memory allocation requests that are artificially inflated through malicious file structures, leading to uncontrolled memory growth that can exhaust available process memory resources. This behavior aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes memory exhaustion vulnerabilities as a critical concern for application security, particularly in environments where memory resources are constrained or where multiple concurrent image processing operations occur. The exploitation mechanism relies on the library's inability to detect and prevent malformed input that would cause disproportionate memory allocation during the decoding process.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-32035 extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, creating potential cascading effects in applications that utilize ImageSharp for image processing workflows. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause complete application crashes, service unavailability, and system instability, particularly affecting web applications, content management systems, and digital asset management platforms that rely on ImageSharp for their image handling capabilities. The vulnerability's susceptibility to denial of service attacks means that attackers can systematically consume memory resources to the point where legitimate operations become impossible, effectively rendering affected services unavailable to authorized users. This risk is particularly severe in cloud environments where multiple applications share memory resources, as the memory exhaustion could potentially impact neighboring services or cause system-wide instability.
Organizations utilizing ImageSharp should prioritize immediate patching of their systems to address CVE-2024-32035, with the recommended approach being the upgrade to version 3.1.4 or 2.1.8, depending on their current implementation. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of the patched versions to ensure compatibility with existing applications while verifying that the memory consumption patterns have been properly addressed. Security teams should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and establish automated patch management processes to prevent future vulnerabilities from being exploited. Additionally, input validation should be enhanced to include file format verification and size limitation checks as additional defensive measures, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which addresses resource exhaustion attacks through proper input validation and memory management practices. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating image file inputs and implementing robust memory allocation controls in graphics processing libraries to prevent exploitation through malformed input files.