CVE-2006-4789 in Open Movie Editor
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Open Movie Editor 0.0.20060901 allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) or execute arbitrary code via a long project name in an open_movie_editor_project XML tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4789 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Open Movie Editor software version 0.0.20060901. This issue resides in the XML parsing functionality of the application where project names are processed within the open_movie_editor_project tag structure. The flaw manifests when the software encounters a project name that exceeds the allocated buffer space, creating conditions where adjacent memory locations become overwritten with malicious data or corrupted values.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the XML parser component. When the application processes an XML file containing an excessively long project name within the designated XML tag, the buffer allocated for storing this name proves insufficient to accommodate the input data. This classic buffer overflow condition allows attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially overwrite critical program variables, return addresses, or function pointers. The vulnerability specifically targets the local execution environment where the application processes user-supplied XML project files, making it exploitable through local privilege escalation scenarios.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for systems running the affected Open Movie Editor version. Local users can leverage this flaw to either crash the application entirely, resulting in denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate workflow operations, or to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running application. The potential for arbitrary code execution means that attackers could gain unauthorized access to system resources, escalate privileges, or establish persistent backdoors within the victim environment. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments or when the application runs with elevated privileges.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. Additionally, this flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically the execution of malicious code through local system manipulation. The attack surface is limited to local users who can manipulate XML project files, but the impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potential privilege escalation and persistent access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Open Movie Editor, implementing input validation controls, and restricting local file manipulation capabilities for the affected application.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize the immediate deployment of updated software versions that address the buffer overflow conditions through proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms. System administrators should also implement file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications to XML project files and consider restricting user permissions for the affected application. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should verify that similar buffer overflow conditions do not exist in other components of the media processing pipeline. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in all software components, particularly those handling user-supplied data in structured formats like XML.