Microsoft Windows Codecs.dll Sniff AndConvert ToWide String Information Leak Vulnerability

Summary: Cisco Talos disclosed TALOS-2018-0644 (CVE-2018-8506), an exploitable memory leak in the SniffAndConvertToWideString function of WindowsCodecs.dll version 10.0.17134.1, where a specially crafted JPEG with malformed metadata causes the library to return uninitialized heap memory after a call to IWICImagingFactory::CreateDecoderFromFilename. The flaw is confirmed in that DLL version and may exist in earlier versions, and Talos advises applying the latest Windows update, with Snort rules 47430 through 47433 detecting exploit attempts.
Key Takeaway: A malformed JPEG is enough to leak heap memory, and because vulnerable applications keep consuming RAM over time, the consequence Talos names is exhaustion of all RAM resources and abnormal system behavior.

Read the original at Cisco Talos ↗

Topics: Vulnerabilities & Patching
Mentions: CVE-2018-8506
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