CVE-2024-5877
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious PIC files in IrfanView. The flaw exists in how IrfanView processes PIC image files, enabling attackers to write data outside allocated memory boundaries. Users of vulnerable IrfanView versions who open untrusted image files are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- IrfanView
📦 What is this software?
Formats by Irfanview
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining the same privileges as the current user, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to malware execution, data exfiltration, or system disruption for the affected user account.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and user privilege restrictions, potentially resulting in application crash only.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction but is technically straightforward once a malicious file is opened. The vulnerability was disclosed through ZDI with proof-of-concept details available to researchers.
🛠️ 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 IrfanView 4.67 or later from the official website
2. Run the installer
3. Follow installation prompts to update
4. No system restart required
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable PIC file association
windowsRemove IrfanView as default handler for PIC files to prevent automatic opening
Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations > Find .PIC > Change program
Application sandboxing
windowsRun IrfanView with reduced privileges using sandboxing tools
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block IrfanView execution
- Use network segmentation to isolate systems running IrfanView from critical assets
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check IrfanView version via Help > About. Versions below 4.67 are vulnerable.Check Version:
irfanview.exe /?Verify Fix Applied:
Verify IrfanView version is 4.67 or higher in Help > About dialog.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes of IrfanView with PIC file extensions
- Unusual process creation from IrfanView executable
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of PIC files from untrusted sources
- Outbound connections from IrfanView process
SIEM Query:
Process Creation where Image contains 'i_view' AND CommandLine contains '.pic'