CVE-2024-27628
📋 TL;DR
A buffer overflow vulnerability in DCMTK v3.6.8 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via the EctEnhancedCT method component. This affects systems running vulnerable versions of DCMTK, particularly those processing medical imaging data. Attackers could potentially gain control of affected systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- DCMTK (DICOM Toolkit)
📦 What is this software?
Dcmtk by Offis
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Service disruption, denial of service, or limited code execution depending on exploit constraints.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper network segmentation and least privilege principles are implemented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Buffer overflow vulnerabilities typically require some expertise to exploit reliably, but public details may lower the barrier.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check latest DCMTK releases after v3.6.8
Vendor Advisory: https://support.dcmtk.org/redmine/issues/1108
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current DCMTK version. 2. Update to latest patched version from official DCMTK repository. 3. Restart affected services. 4. Verify the fix.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable component
allDisable or restrict access to EctEnhancedCT functionality if not required
Configuration dependent - modify DCMTK configuration to disable affected module
Network segmentation
linuxIsolate DCMTK services from untrusted networks
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-rich-rule='rule family="ipv4" source address="0.0.0.0/0" port port="104" protocol="tcp" reject'
ufw deny 104/tcp
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for DICOM files
- Deploy application-level firewalls or WAFs to filter malicious traffic
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check DCMTK version: dcmtk-config --version or examine installed packagesCheck Version:
dcmtk-config --version 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i dcmtk || dpkg -l | grep -i dcmtkVerify Fix Applied:
Verify updated version and test with known safe DICOM files📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process creation from DCMTK services
- Memory access violations in system logs
- Abnormal network connections from DCMTK processes
Network Indicators:
- Unusual DICOM traffic patterns
- Exploit attempts on DICOM ports (typically 104)
SIEM Query:
source="dcmtk.log" AND (event_type="buffer_overflow" OR event_type="segmentation_fault")