CVE-2006-3124 in Streamripper
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the HTTP header parsing in Streamripper before 1.61.26 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via crafted HTTP headers.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3124 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the HTTP header parsing functionality of Streamripper software versions prior to 1.61.26. This issue resides in the application's handling of malformed HTTP headers during network communication, creating a potential exploitation vector for remote attackers seeking to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the input validation mechanisms that process HTTP headers received from remote servers, where insufficient bounds checking allows maliciously crafted header data to overwrite adjacent memory regions.
Streamripper, a popular audio streaming application designed for recording internet radio broadcasts, processes HTTP headers from streaming servers to establish connections and manage data flow. The buffer overflow occurs when the software receives HTTP headers containing excessive data that exceeds the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption that can lead to unpredictable behavior. This flaw operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal network operations when connecting to maliciously configured streaming servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the buffer overflow condition creates opportunities for arbitrary code execution. When the buffer overflow occurs, it can overwrite critical program variables, return addresses, or function pointers, potentially allowing attackers to redirect program execution flow. This represents a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario where the attacker can inject malicious code into the program's memory space and execute it with the privileges of the running Streamripper process. The vulnerability affects systems running Streamripper versions earlier than 1.61.26, making it a significant concern for users who have not updated their installations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a common pattern in legacy software where input validation was insufficient to handle malformed data. The attack surface is primarily through network-based exploitation where an attacker controls a streaming server or can intercept network traffic to modify HTTP headers. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in network applications, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers the exploitation of buffer overflow vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and code execution. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual HTTP header patterns and ensure all Streamripper installations are updated to version 1.61.26 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The flaw also underscores the need for regular security assessments of multimedia applications that handle network data, as these often contain complex parsing logic that can introduce memory corruption vulnerabilities.