CVE-2023-47993 is a buffer out-of-bounds read vulnerability in FreeImage 3.18.0. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a denial-of-service, impacting the availability of the affected application. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 6.5, categorizing it as medium severity. Organizations using FreeImage should be aware of this issue as it can be exploited via the network, requiring user interaction to initiate.
The vulnerability was published on January 9, 2024, and was last modified on June 20, 2025. It falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identification CWE-125, which pertains to buffer errors. Given the nature of the vulnerability, attackers may leverage it to induce a denial-of-service condition, which could disrupt operations.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate potential risks associated with this vulnerability. The exploitation status indicates that there are currently no known exploits in the wild, but the potential for future exploitation exists.
As such, it is crucial for organizations to schedule remediation in their patch management cycles to address this vulnerability effectively.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit FreeImage 3.18.0 through a buffer out-of-bounds read in the Exif.cpp::ReadInt32 function. The attack vector is network-based, and the attack complexity is low, meaning that no special conditions are required for exploitation. There are no privileges required for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability, but user interaction is necessary.
The impact on availability is rated as high, indicating that successful exploitation could lead to significant disruption of service. No confidentiality or integrity impacts are identified for this vulnerability.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking within the code responsible for reading Exif data. When an attacker provides specially crafted input during the parsing process, it can lead to memory access violations, resulting in a denial-of-service condition.
Given the low attack complexity, attackers can easily exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted input to the application. Since no privileges are required for exploitation, it poses a significant risk to organizations that utilize FreeImage without implementing proper validations.
The vulnerability requires user interaction, which implies that users must open or process potentially malicious files for exploitation to succeed. Organizations should ensure that users are aware of this risk and that adequate training is provided.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential denial-of-service conditions that may disrupt services and impact business operations. The likelihood of exploitation is moderate given the current absence of known exploits, but this could change if the vulnerability becomes more widely recognized.
Organizations using FreeImage should assess their configurations and prioritize patching as part of their security hygiene practices. The medium severity level indicates that while the risk is not immediate, it is pressing enough to warrant attention in the next patch cycle.
With the potential for high impact on availability, organizations that rely on FreeImage for image processing should consider implementing mitigations such as input validation and user training to minimize the risk of exploitation.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected version is FreeImage 3.18.0. Organizations should ensure they are running patched versions of the software to avoid potential exploits.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should apply the latest updates from FreeImage immediately. If a patch is unavailable, consider alternative measures such as restricting user input or implementing additional validation checks.
For further guidance, organizations can refer to our penetration testing methodology to validate the effectiveness of the implemented mitigations.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation attempts, organizations should monitor logs for unusual input patterns and behavioral anomalies associated with the use of FreeImage. Additionally, establishing network signatures that detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability can enhance detection capabilities.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2023-47993 lies in the potential for similar vulnerabilities to be discovered in other components of FreeImage or related libraries. This incident serves as a reminder for security teams to remain vigilant and proactive in their security assessments.
Organizations should consider implementing a robust vulnerability management program to continuously monitor and assess their applications for potential weaknesses.
Additionally, conducting regular continuous penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Finally, organizations should keep abreast of industry trends and reports to understand emerging threats associated with vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-47993, ensuring that they are prepared to respond effectively.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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