CVE-2007-1294 in DivX Web Player
Summary
by MITRE
A certain ActiveX control in the DivXBrowserPlugin (npdivx32.dll) in DivX Web Player, as distributed with DivX Player 1.3.0, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer 7 crash) via large values to DivxWP.Resize, related to resizing images.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1294 represents a classic buffer overflow condition within the DivX Web Player ActiveX control implementation. This flaw exists in the npdivx32.dll component of DivX Player version 1.3.0, specifically affecting Internet Explorer 7 users who have the DivX Web Player plugin installed. The vulnerability manifests when the DivxWP.Resize method receives excessively large parameter values, causing the browser to crash and resulting in a denial of service condition that disrupts normal web browsing operations. The ActiveX control architecture creates a privileged execution environment within the browser context, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through web pages without requiring any additional user interaction beyond visiting a malicious site.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the DivX Web Player plugin's resizing functionality. When the DivxWP.Resize method processes large numerical values, the plugin fails to properly bounds-check the input parameters before attempting to allocate memory or perform resizing operations. This lack of proper validation creates a condition where maliciously crafted parameters can overflow the intended buffer space, leading to memory corruption and subsequent browser instability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the plugin assumes all input values will be within acceptable ranges without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users of Internet Explorer 7 who browse the web regularly, as it can be exploited through simple web page visits without requiring any special privileges or complex attack vectors. The denial of service impact extends beyond mere inconvenience, as it can disrupt business operations where users rely on consistent browser functionality. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that automatically trigger the vulnerable DivxWP.Resize method with oversized parameters, causing Internet Explorer to crash and potentially leading to data loss or session interruption. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where DivX Player is widely deployed, such as corporate networks or media-rich web applications, where the plugin's presence increases the attack surface for remote code execution attempts through related vulnerabilities.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates and browser security hardening. Users should upgrade to newer versions of DivX Player that contain patched versions of the npdivx32.dll component, as the vendor has likely addressed this specific buffer overflow condition in subsequent releases. Organizations should implement browser security policies that restrict ActiveX control usage or disable unnecessary plugins altogether. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in browser plugin development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through scripting and T1211 for exploitation of privilege escalation opportunities. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains that may host exploit code for this vulnerability, while also monitoring for unusual browser crash patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.