Exiv2 is a command-line utility and C++ library for reading, writing, deleting, and modifying the metadata of image files. An inefficient algorithm (quadratic complexity) was found in Exiv2 versions v0.27.3 and earlier. The inefficient algorithm is triggered when Exiv2 is used to write metadata into a crafted image file. An attacker could potentially exploit the vulnerability to cause a denial of service, if they can trick the victim into running Exiv2 on a crafted image file. The bug is fixed in version v0.27.4. Note that this bug is only triggered when writing the metadata, which is a less frequently used Exiv2 operation than reading the metadata. For example, to trigger the bug in the Exiv2 command-line application, you need to add an extra command-line argument such as rm.
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exiv2 | Exiv2 | * | 0.27.4 (excluding) |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | RedHat | exiv2-0:0.27.4-5.el8 | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | devel | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/focal | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | groovy | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | hirsute | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | impish | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Exiv2 | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:
The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.
The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.