CVE-2024-11549
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious DXF files in IrfanView. Attackers can gain full control of the affected system with the same privileges as the current user. All IrfanView users who open untrusted DXF files are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- IrfanView
📦 What is this software?
Irfanview by Irfanview
Irfanview by Irfanview
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control, installing malware, stealing data, and pivoting to other systems.
Likely Case
Malware installation leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or system being added to botnets.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and user privilege restrictions, potentially only application crash.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction but is straightforward once malicious DXF file is opened. ZDI has confirmed the vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: IrfanView 4.67 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.irfanview.com/main_history.htm
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download latest IrfanView from official website. 2. Run installer. 3. Follow installation prompts. 4. Verify version is 4.67 or higher.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable DXF file association
windowsRemove IrfanView as default handler for DXF files to prevent automatic opening
Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations > Find .DXF > Change program to another application
Application sandboxing
windowsRun IrfanView in restricted environment to limit exploit impact
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user privileges to standard user accounts (not administrator)
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized code execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Open IrfanView, go to Help > About, check if version is below 4.67Check Version:
irfanview.exe /?Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm IrfanView version is 4.67 or higher in Help > About📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- IrfanView crash logs with DXF file references
- Unexpected process creation from IrfanView
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from IrfanView process to suspicious IPs
SIEM Query:
Process Creation where Image contains 'irfanview' AND ParentImage contains 'explorer' AND CommandLine contains '.dxf'