CVE-2024-25569

What it actually does

Out-of-bounds read in RAWCodec::DecodeBytes when processing a specially crafted DICOM file, resulting in potential information disclosure or application crash.

Why it matters to the business

Medical imaging systems handling DICOM files may experience data leakage or service disruption, affecting diagnostic workflows and requiring urgent patching to maintain operational continuity.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker crafts a malicious DICOM file containing malformed RAW data that triggers the out-of-bounds read during decoding; the file is delivered to a vulnerable Grassroot DICOM instance which processes it without proper bounds validation.

How to fix it

Upgrade Grassroot DICOM to the latest version that resolves the out-of-bounds read in RAWCodec::DecodeBytes; apply vendor patches as soon as available and validate the update in a test environment before production deployment.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed version is newer than 3.0.23, reprocess known-good and edge-case DICOM files to ensure no crashes occur, and review source changes for added bounds checks in DecodeBytes.

Typical attack path

1. Craft a malicious DICOM file exploiting RAWCodec::DecodeBytes
2. Deliver the file via network share, email, or removable media to a target system
3. Induce the victim application to process the file
4. Trigger out-of-bounds read leading to information disclosure or crash

How to detect it

Review application logs for crashes or errors during DICOM file decoding, inspect process dumps for evidence of out-of-bounds memory access, and correlate file ingestion events with anomalous behavior in medical imaging workflows.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching all instances of Grassroot DICOM due to the network-accessible attack vector
• Restrict processing of untrusted DICOM files until updates are applied
• Implement input sanitization or sandboxing for DICOM ingestion pipelines
• Monitor EPSS and exploit maturity indicators for any increase in risk