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CVE-2021-34055: n/a in n/a

High
VulnerabilityCVE-2021-34055cvecve-2021-34055
Published: Fri Nov 04 2022 (11/04/2022, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CVE
Vendor/Project: n/a
Product: n/a

Description

jhead 3.06 is vulnerable to Buffer Overflow via exif.c in function Put16u.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/03/2025, 07:09:38 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-34055 is a high-severity buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the jhead utility version 3.06, specifically within the exif.c source file in the function Put16u. jhead is a command-line tool used for manipulating EXIF metadata in JPEG images, commonly employed in photo management and processing workflows. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling of buffer boundaries when writing 16-bit unsigned values, leading to a potential buffer overflow condition. This flaw can be triggered when processing crafted JPEG files containing malicious EXIF metadata. Exploitation requires local access (AV:L) and no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as opening or processing a malicious image file with jhead. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning an attacker could execute arbitrary code, cause application crashes, or manipulate image metadata to compromise systems. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the CVSS score of 7.8 reflects the significant risk posed by this vulnerability. The lack of vendor or product-specific information suggests jhead itself is the affected product, which is an open-source utility widely used in various environments for image metadata handling. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-120 (Classic Buffer Overflow), a well-known category of memory corruption bugs that can lead to remote code execution or denial of service if exploited successfully.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2021-34055 depends largely on the extent to which jhead is integrated into their image processing or digital asset management workflows. Organizations involved in media, photography, digital forensics, or any sector relying on automated EXIF metadata manipulation could be at risk. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running jhead, potentially leading to system compromise, data breaches, or disruption of services. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, sensitive data could be exposed or altered, and critical systems could be destabilized. Although exploitation requires local access and user interaction, phishing or social engineering attacks could be used to trick users into processing malicious images. This threat is particularly relevant for organizations handling large volumes of image data or those using automated pipelines that process images without strict validation. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as proof-of-concept exploits could emerge. European entities must consider this vulnerability seriously to prevent potential targeted attacks or supply chain compromises involving image files.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate CVE-2021-34055 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately update jhead to a patched version if available; if no official patch exists, consider applying community patches or disabling jhead usage until a fix is released. 2) Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all JPEG files processed, especially those from untrusted sources, to prevent malicious EXIF metadata from triggering the vulnerability. 3) Restrict usage of jhead to trusted users and environments, minimizing exposure to untrusted image files. 4) Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior or exploitation attempts related to buffer overflows. 5) Educate users about the risks of opening or processing images from unknown or suspicious origins to reduce the likelihood of social engineering exploitation. 6) Incorporate file integrity monitoring and logging around image processing workflows to detect unusual activity. 7) Consider sandboxing or isolating image processing tasks to contain potential exploitation impacts. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling the attack surface specific to image metadata processing and user interaction vectors.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
mitre
Date Reserved
2021-06-07T00:00:00.000Z
Cisa Enriched
true
Cvss Version
3.1
State
PUBLISHED

Threat ID: 682d9837c4522896dcbebad4

Added to database: 5/21/2025, 9:09:11 AM

Last enriched: 7/3/2025, 7:09:38 AM

Last updated: 7/26/2025, 2:17:40 AM

Views: 7

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