ImageMagick is free and open-source software used for editing and manipulating digital images. Prior to versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40, when a PCD file does not contain a valid Sync marker, the DecodeImage() function becomes trapped in an infinite loop while searching for the Sync marker, causing the program to become unresponsive and continuously consume CPU resources, ultimately leading to system resource exhaustion and denial of service. Versions 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40 contain a patch.
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imagemagick | Imagemagick | * | 6.9.13-40 (excluding) |
| Imagemagick | Imagemagick | 7.0.0-0 (including) | 7.1.2-15 (excluding) |
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.