CVE-2005-2718 in MPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in ad_pcm.c in MPlayer 1.0pre7 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted PCM audio data, as demonstrated using a video file with an audio header containing a large value in a stream format (strf) chunk.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2718 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the MPlayer media player software version 1.0pre7 and earlier. This flaw exists in the ad_pcm.c module which handles PCM audio data processing, making it susceptible to remote code execution attacks when processing specially crafted audio streams. The vulnerability specifically manifests when MPlayer encounters a video file containing an audio header with a malformed strf chunk that contains an excessively large value, triggering the buffer overflow condition during audio data parsing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the PCM audio processing pipeline. When MPlayer attempts to parse the stream format chunk of a PCM audio header, it fails to properly validate the size parameters contained within the strf chunk. This allows an attacker to craft audio data where the chunk size field contains a value that exceeds the allocated buffer space, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The flaw operates at the boundary between legitimate audio data parsing and malicious data manipulation, where the software assumes valid input without proper bounds checking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to enable full remote code execution capabilities. An attacker can leverage this buffer overflow to inject and execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of MPlayer, potentially gaining complete control over the affected machine. The attack vector requires only a maliciously crafted video file containing the specially formatted audio header, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various media distribution channels including web downloads, email attachments, or streaming services. Systems that automatically process or play multimedia content are at risk, particularly those running older versions of MPlayer or other software that relies on similar audio processing libraries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates to patched versions of MPlayer and related multimedia frameworks. Organizations should implement strict input validation measures and employ memory protection techniques such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to reduce exploitability. Network security controls including content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms should be deployed to prevent execution of untrusted multimedia content. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for both application-level defenses and network-based protections. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running outdated multimedia software, with priority given to updating all components that handle external audio or video data streams to prevent exploitation of similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the broader multimedia processing ecosystem.