CVE-2024-28578 Overview
CVE-2024-28578 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the open source FreeImage library version 3.19.0 [r1909]. The flaw resides in the Load() function used when parsing images in Sun Raster (RAS) format. A local attacker can craft a malicious RAS image that triggers an out-of-bounds read [CWE-125] during decoding, leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the application linking FreeImage. FreeImage is widely embedded in image processing pipelines, desktop applications, and multimedia frameworks, which broadens the exposure of downstream software that consumes untrusted image files.
Critical Impact
A local attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution by supplying a specially crafted RAS image to any application that uses FreeImage 3.19.0 to decode it.
Affected Products
- FreeImage 3.19.0 [r1909]
- Applications statically or dynamically linking the vulnerable FreeImage build
- Downstream projects redistributing FreeImage r1909 binaries
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-03-20 - CVE-2024-28578 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-28578
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified as an out-of-bounds read [CWE-125] within the RAS image loader of FreeImage. When the Load() function processes a Sun Raster image, it reads header fields and pixel data based on values supplied by the file itself. Insufficient validation of these fields allows the decoder to read beyond allocated buffers during pixel expansion or colormap handling. Because the resulting memory corruption occurs on data that is subsequently used for control flow or pointer arithmetic, an attacker can leverage it for arbitrary code execution rather than a simple crash.
Exploitation requires local delivery of the crafted RAS file, but no authentication or user interaction is required beyond opening or previewing the image in a vulnerable application. Any process that automatically thumbnails or indexes image content inherits the attack surface.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing bounds validation on RAS header fields, including width, height, depth, and colormap length, before they are used to size read and write operations against internal buffers. Attacker-controlled dimensions cause the decoder to traverse memory outside the intended image buffer.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local. An attacker crafts a malicious .ras file and delivers it to a target who processes the file with any application backed by FreeImage 3.19.0. Refer to the GitHub Vulnerability Report for the reproducer artifacts and technical write-up.
// No verified public exploit code is available.
// See the referenced vulnerability report for reproducer details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-28578
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or segmentation faults in processes that load .ras images through FreeImage
- Presence of FreeImage.dll, libfreeimage.so, or libfreeimage.a matching the 3.19.0 [r1909] build hash in application directories
- Suspicious .ras files delivered through email attachments, file shares, or content upload endpoints
Detection Strategies
- Perform software composition analysis on application dependencies to enumerate FreeImage versions in use
- Enable crash reporting and Windows Error Reporting to surface exceptions originating in the FreeImage RAS decoder
- Instrument image-processing services with sanitizers such as AddressSanitizer in pre-production to catch out-of-bounds reads on RAS inputs
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor process telemetry for image viewers, thumbnail services, and batch converters spawning unexpected child processes after opening .ras files
- Alert on write operations from image-processing binaries to sensitive directories such as startup folders or ~/.config
- Track file uploads with .ras extension or Sun Raster magic bytes (0x59A66A95) at web application and email gateways
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-28578
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all applications and container images that bundle FreeImage 3.19.0 [r1909]
- Disable or block processing of Sun Raster (.ras) files in exposed services until a patched build is deployed
- Restrict permissions on directories where untrusted image files are staged or processed
Patch Information
No vendor advisory or official patched release is listed in the NVD entry at the time of publication. Consult the upstream FreeImage project and the GitHub Vulnerability Report for status updates. Organizations shipping FreeImage should consider rebuilding from source with bounds-checking patches applied or migrating to an actively maintained image decoding library.
Workarounds
- Strip or reject Sun Raster images at ingress filters when RAS support is not a business requirement
- Sandbox image decoding workloads using seccomp, AppArmor, or Windows AppContainer to limit blast radius
- Route image parsing through a lower-privileged service account with no write access to executable paths
# Example: block RAS files at a Linux upload directory using a file-type check
file --mime-type /uploads/*.ras | grep -v 'image/x-cmu-raster' \
&& echo 'Non-RAS or malformed file rejected'
# Example: run image conversion in a restrictive Docker sandbox
docker run --rm --read-only --cap-drop=ALL --security-opt=no-new-privileges \
-v /tmp/input:/input:ro image-converter:isolated
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
