Overview
The vulnerability CVE-2025-55298 is a significant cybersecurity issue that directly affects ImageMagick, a widely used open-source software for editing and manipulating digital images. The flaw lies in the lack of proper input sanitization in the InterpretImageFilename function, which can be exploited by attackers to overwrite arbitrary memory regions. The impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it puts systems at risk of compromise and potential data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-55298
Severity: High (CVSS: 7.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
ImageMagick | Prior to 6.9.13-28
ImageMagick | Prior to 7.1.2-2
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by taking advantage of the format string bug vulnerability in the InterpretImageFilename function in ImageMagick. An attacker can manipulate user input that is directly passed to the FormatLocaleString function without proper sanitization. By crafting a specific payload, an attacker can overwrite arbitrary memory regions, leading to a potential heap overflow or even remote code execution.
Conceptual Example Code
Assuming an attacker has the ability to influence the user input that is passed to the FormatLocaleString function in ImageMagick, the conceptual exploit might look something like this:
./convert 'fmtstr_payload.jpg' output.pngIn this conceptual example, ‘fmtstr_payload.jpg’ is a maliciously crafted image file that takes advantage of the format string vulnerability. When ImageMagick tries to convert this image, it would execute the malicious payload contained within it, leading to potential system compromise.