CVE-2025-1052 in Mintty
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2025
Mintty Sixel Image Parsing Heap-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Mintty. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.
The specific flaw exists within the parsing of sixel images. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-23382.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
The CVE-2025-1052 vulnerability represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in the Mintty terminal emulator's sixel image parsing functionality. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through command injection. The vulnerability specifically affects the parsing of sixel graphics format images, which are used to display bitmap graphics in terminal environments. When Mintty processes malicious sixel image data, it fails to properly validate the length of user-supplied data before copying it to a heap-based buffer, creating a predictable memory corruption scenario.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires remote attackers to craft malicious sixel image content that triggers the buffer overflow condition. The flaw occurs during the parsing phase when the application attempts to copy user-supplied sixel data without adequate bounds checking. This allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations in the heap, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates in a terminal environment where users might encounter such images through web pages, email attachments, or file downloads, making user interaction a necessary but easily orchestrated component of the attack.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass potential privilege escalation and system compromise. Since Mintty typically runs with the privileges of the current user, successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious payloads, establish persistence mechanisms, or escalate privileges if the user has elevated permissions. The vulnerability affects systems running affected versions of Mintty, which is commonly used on Windows systems as a terminal emulator for cygwin and similar environments. Attackers can leverage this through web-based attacks by hosting malicious sixel images on compromised websites or through file-based attacks via email attachments or shared network drives.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-1052 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Mintty installations, as this represents a critical security issue requiring urgent attention. Organizations should implement network-based controls to block access to known malicious sixel image content and consider disabling sixel image support entirely if the functionality is not essential for operations. System administrators should monitor for unusual process behavior or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK T1059.007 emphasizes the importance of input validation and proper bounds checking in terminal emulators, making this a prime example of why secure coding practices are essential for preventing heap-based buffer overflow exploits in terminal applications.