CVE-2024-9260
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of IrfanView. Attackers can exploit it by tricking users into opening malicious SID files or visiting malicious web pages. Users of IrfanView who open untrusted image files are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- IrfanView
📦 What is this software?
Irfanview 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 or malware execution in user context, potentially leading to credential theft, lateral movement, or data exfiltration.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and user privilege restrictions, potentially resulting in application crash only.
🎯 Exploit Status
User interaction required (opening malicious file). The vulnerability is in a widely used image viewer, making it attractive for targeted attacks.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: IrfanView 4.67 or 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 SID file association
windowsRemove IrfanView as default handler for SID files to prevent automatic exploitation
Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations > Find .sid > Change to another program or none
Block SID files at perimeter
allPrevent SID files from entering the network via email or web downloads
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Run IrfanView with restricted user privileges (not as administrator)
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized code execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Open IrfanView > Help > About IrfanView, check if version is below 4.67Check Version:
irfanview.exe /?Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm IrfanView version is 4.67 or higher in About dialog📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- IrfanView crash logs
- Windows Application Error events with IrfanView process
- Unusual process spawning from IrfanView
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of SID files from untrusted sources
- Outbound connections from IrfanView process
SIEM Query:
process_name:"i_view32.exe" OR process_name:"i_view64.exe" AND (event_id:1000 OR event_id:1001)