CVE-2023-3576 is a vulnerability identified in the tiffcrop utility of the Libtiff library, which is included in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. The issue arises from improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer, leading to a memory leak when tiffcrop processes a specially crafted TIFF image file. This memory leak can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, as it does not allow data leakage or modification, but it impacts availability by crashing the utility. Exploitation requires local access to the system and user interaction to supply the malicious TIFF file to the tiffcrop utility. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting the low attack vector (local), low complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction and resulting in availability impact only. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches are explicitly linked yet, though Red Hat is expected to provide updates. The vulnerability is relevant for environments where the tiffcrop utility is used to process TIFF images, which may include automated image processing pipelines or manual operations on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 systems.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-3576 is potential denial of service on systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 that utilize the tiffcrop utility for TIFF image processing. This could disrupt workflows in sectors such as media, publishing, scientific research, and any industry relying on image manipulation or automated image processing pipelines. Although the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, the availability impact could lead to operational delays or downtime. Organizations with automated systems that process untrusted TIFF files may be at higher risk if an attacker can supply crafted images. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation, reducing the risk of widespread attacks but still posing a threat from insider or compromised user scenarios. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but timely patching is important to prevent future exploitation. Disruption of critical services in sectors like healthcare, government, or manufacturing could have broader consequences in the European context.

1. Monitor Red Hat security advisories closely and apply patches or updates for Libtiff and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 as soon as they become available to address CVE-2023-3576. 2. Restrict access to the tiffcrop utility to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious TIFF files being processed. 3. Implement strict input validation and scanning of TIFF files before processing, using file integrity and malware detection tools to identify suspicious or malformed images. 4. Employ application whitelisting or sandboxing for image processing utilities to limit the impact of crashes and prevent escalation. 5. Educate users about the risks of processing untrusted image files and enforce policies that prohibit opening or processing files from unverified sources. 6. Monitor system logs and application behavior for signs of abnormal crashes or memory leaks related to tiffcrop usage. 7. Consider isolating image processing workloads in dedicated environments to contain potential denial of service impacts. 8. Review and harden local user permissions to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized exploitation requiring local access.