Denial of Service Vulnerability in libexif: Divide-by-Zero Error in EXIF Tag Parsing
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2012-2837: The mnote_olympus_entry_get_value function in olympus/mnote-olympus-entry.c in the EXIF Tag Parsing Library (aka libexif) before 0.6.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (divide-by-zero error) via an i... Affects libexif versions < 0.6.21-r0. Fixed in 0.6.21-r0. How to fix ↓
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Background
libexif is an open-source library used for parsing EXIF tags in image files. It is widely utilized in various applications to handle metadata associated with images, such as camera settings and timestamps. The library is designed to facilitate the extraction and manipulation of this metadata, making it essential for developers working with image processing. However, a vulnerability has been identified that can lead to a denial of service, affecting the stability of applications relying on this library.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises from the mnote_olympus_entry_get_value function in olympus/mnote-olympus-entry.c, which is part of the libexif library. Prior to version 0.6.21, this function does not properly handle certain crafted EXIF tags, leading to a divide-by-zero error. This can be exploited by remote attackers through specially crafted images, resulting in a denial of service. The potential ramifications include application crashes and service interruptions, which can significantly impact user experience and system reliability.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
0.6.21-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade libexifTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can implement input validation to filter out potentially harmful EXIF tags before processing images. This can be done by checking the integrity of EXIF data and rejecting any images that contain suspicious or malformed tags.
Conclusion
The libexif library has a critical vulnerability that can lead to denial of service due to improper handling of crafted EXIF tags. It is crucial for developers to update to the patched version 0.6.21 to ensure the security and stability of their applications. Additionally, implementing input validation can serve as a temporary workaround until the update can be applied.
See every vulnerability recorded for libexif →
FAQ
The vulnerability is a divide-by-zero error that can lead to a denial of service when processing crafted EXIF tags.
You can check if your application is affected by using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner, which allows you to monitor for open-source vulnerabilities without requiring installation.
The primary impact is a denial of service, which can cause applications to crash or become unresponsive when processing malicious images.
Yes, a patch is available in version 0.6.21 of libexif. Updating to this version will resolve the vulnerability.
If immediate updating is not possible, implement input validation to filter out potentially harmful EXIF tags as a temporary measure.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for libexif.
