CVE-2006-4800 in ffmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in libavcodec in ffmpeg before 0.4.9_p20060530 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code via multiple unspecified vectors in (1) dtsdec.c, (2) vorbis.c, (3) rm.c, (4) sierravmd.c, (5) smacker.c, (6) tta.c, (7) 4xm.c, (8) alac.c, (9) cook.c, (10) shorten.c, (11) smacker.c, (12) snow.c, and (13) tta.c. NOTE: it is likely that this is a different vulnerability than CVE-2005-4048 and CVE-2006-2802.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-4800 represents a critical security flaw affecting the libavcodec library within the ffmpeg multimedia framework. This issue encompasses multiple buffer overflow conditions that exist across various audio and video decoding modules, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core functionality used for processing multimedia content. The vulnerability impacts ffmpeg versions prior to 0.4.9_p20060530, indicating a significant window of exposure for systems utilizing these older versions. These buffer overflows occur in fundamental decoding routines that process different multimedia formats including dts, vorbis, realmedia, sierra vmd, smacker, tta, 4xm, alac, cook, shorten, snow, and others, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw across multiple codec implementations.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves attackers exploiting malformed multimedia files or streams that trigger buffer overflows within the affected decoding functions. When these vulnerable modules process specially crafted input data, they fail to properly validate input lengths against allocated buffer sizes, leading to memory corruption that can result in program termination or potentially arbitrary code execution. The specific locations of these vulnerabilities span across multiple files including dtsdec.c, vorbis.c, rm.c, sierravmd.c, smacker.c, tta.c, 4xm.c, alac.c, cook.c, shorten.c, snow.c, and others, indicating that the flaw is not isolated to a single codec implementation but rather represents a systemic issue in how buffer management is handled across different decoding routines. The presence of duplicate references to smacker.c and tta.c suggests either overlapping vulnerabilities or multiple instances of the same flaw in different code paths.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems processing multimedia content, particularly those exposed to untrusted input sources such as web applications, media servers, or content delivery networks. The potential for remote code execution means that attackers could gain control over affected systems, while the denial of service component can be used to disrupt services by causing application crashes. The attack vector through multimedia file processing makes this particularly dangerous in environments where users can upload or stream content, as it requires no special privileges beyond the ability to provide malicious media files. This vulnerability directly aligns with attack patterns identified in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1203 technique for Defense Evasion and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to establish persistent access or execute malicious payloads.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-4800 primarily focus on upgrading to patched versions of ffmpeg, specifically version 0.4.9_p20060530 or later, which contain the necessary buffer overflow protections. System administrators should also implement input validation measures that sanitize multimedia content before processing, particularly when dealing with user-provided files or streams. Network-based defenses can include content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms that isolate multimedia processing components from critical system resources. Additionally, monitoring for unusual process behavior or memory access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected ffmpeg versions and prioritize patching based on exposure risk. The CWE database categorizes this as a buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-121) with specific implications for heap-based buffer overflows that can lead to arbitrary code execution through memory corruption attacks.