CVE-2004-1569 in Dbpoweramp Audio Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in (1) MusicConverter.exe, (2) playlist.exe, and (3) amp.exe in dBpowerAMP Audio Player 2.0 and dbPowerAmp Music Converter 10.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code via a .pls or .m3u playlist that contains long File1 (filename) fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1569 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting multiple components within the dBpowerAMP audio processing suite. This security weakness manifests in three distinct executables including MusicConverter.exe, playlist.exe, and amp.exe which are part of dBpowerAMP Audio Player version 2.0 and dbPowerAmp Music Converter version 10.0. The flaw occurs when these applications process playlist files using the .pls and .m3u formats, specifically when encountering excessively long File1 field values within these playlist structures. The buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the playlist parsing routines, allowing attackers to craft malicious playlist files that can trigger memory corruption when processed by the vulnerable applications.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates through a classic stack-based buffer overflow mechanism where the application fails to properly validate the length of filename fields contained within playlist files. When a maliciously crafted playlist contains File1 fields exceeding the allocated buffer space, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow or allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely through the delivery of malicious playlist files, making it accessible to attackers without requiring local system access. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as stack-based buffer overflow and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable remote code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain arbitrary code execution privileges on the target system, allowing for privilege escalation, data theft, or further network penetration activities. The widespread use of playlist files in audio processing applications makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers, as it can be delivered through various means including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The vulnerability affects systems running the specific versions of dBpowerAMP mentioned, with potential impacts across multiple operating systems that support these audio processing applications, particularly those with older or unpatched versions of the software.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1569 should prioritize immediate software updates from the vendor, as this vulnerability was addressed through patches released by the software developer. Organizations should implement strict playlist file validation policies that prevent automatic processing of external playlist files, particularly those from untrusted sources. Network-level controls including firewall rules and content filtering systems should be configured to block or scan playlist file types before they reach end-user systems. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of potentially vulnerable applications or enforce strict input validation for all playlist file processing. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in software development, particularly for applications that process user-supplied data through file parsing operations. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for similar buffer overflow conditions in other multimedia processing applications to prevent similar exploitation vectors from being available to attackers.