CVE-2018-25279 Overview
CVE-2018-25279 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting jiNa OCR Image to Text version 1.0. The vulnerability allows local attackers to crash the application by processing a malformed PNG file. Attackers can create a specially crafted PNG file with an oversized buffer and trigger the crash when the application attempts to convert the file to PDF.
Critical Impact
Local attackers can cause complete application unavailability by supplying malformed PNG files, disrupting OCR operations and potentially causing data loss for users processing documents.
Affected Products
- jiNa OCR Image to Text 1.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-04-26 - CVE-2018-25279 published to NVD
- 2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2018-25279
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-789 (Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value), indicating that the application fails to properly validate the size of input data before allocating memory. When jiNa OCR Image to Text processes a PNG file, it attempts to allocate memory based on dimensions or buffer sizes specified within the file header. A malformed PNG with exaggerated size parameters causes the application to attempt excessive memory allocation, leading to a crash.
The local attack vector means an attacker must have the ability to place or provide malicious files to the target system. While this limits remote exploitation scenarios, it remains a concern in environments where users routinely process untrusted image files for OCR conversion.
Root Cause
The root cause lies in improper validation of PNG file headers before memory allocation. The application trusts size parameters embedded within the PNG file structure without implementing reasonable bounds checking. When these values exceed available system resources or application limits, the memory allocation fails catastrophically rather than gracefully, resulting in application termination.
Attack Vector
The attack is executed locally by providing the vulnerable application with a specially crafted PNG file. The attacker creates a PNG file containing malformed or oversized buffer specifications in its header. When a user attempts to convert this file to PDF using the jiNa OCR application, the software attempts to allocate memory based on the malicious parameters, triggering a denial of service condition.
The exploitation process involves:
- Crafting a PNG file with an oversized buffer specification in the file header
- Delivering the malicious file to the target system
- Waiting for or inducing the victim to process the file through the OCR conversion functionality
- The application crashes when attempting to allocate excessive memory during the PDF conversion process
Technical details about the exploitation methodology can be found in the Exploit-DB #45380 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory on Jina OCR.
Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25279
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected application crashes when processing PNG files
- Crash reports or error logs indicating memory allocation failures in the jiNa OCR application
- Presence of abnormally large or malformed PNG files in processing queues or input directories
Detection Strategies
- Monitor application event logs for jiNa OCR crashes, particularly those occurring during PNG-to-PDF conversion operations
- Implement file integrity monitoring on directories where PNG files are staged for OCR processing
- Analyze crash dumps for memory allocation exception patterns consistent with CWE-789
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure system monitoring to alert on repeated application crashes of jiNa OCR Image to Text
- Enable verbose logging for file processing operations to identify potentially malicious input files
- Implement resource usage monitoring to detect unusual memory allocation attempts prior to crashes
How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25279
Immediate Actions Required
- Avoid processing PNG files from untrusted or unknown sources with the vulnerable application
- Consider using alternative OCR software until a patch is available
- Implement file validation workflows that screen PNG files before processing
- Restrict access to the application to trusted users only
Patch Information
No official patch information is available from the vendor at this time. Users are advised to check the Software Download Page for any updated versions that may address this vulnerability. Consider upgrading to newer versions if available, or migrating to alternative OCR solutions that implement proper input validation.
Workarounds
- Pre-validate PNG files using third-party image validation tools before processing with jiNa OCR
- Process only trusted PNG files from known sources
- Run the application in a sandboxed environment to limit the impact of crashes on the broader system
- Implement file size limits on PNG files accepted for processing to reduce the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability
# Configuration example
# Validate PNG files before processing (Linux example using pngcheck)
pngcheck -v input_file.png
# Only process files that pass validation
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
echo "File is valid, safe to process"
else
echo "Warning: Malformed PNG detected, do not process"
fi
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
