CVE-2007-4029 in libvorbis
Summary
by MITRE
libvorbis 1.1.2, and possibly other versions before 1.2.0, allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service via (1) an invalid mapping type, which triggers an out-of-bounds read in the vorbis_info_clear function in info.c, and (2) invalid blocksize values that trigger a segmentation fault in the read function in block.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4029 affects libvorbis version 1.1.2 and potentially earlier versions up to 1.2.0, representing a critical security flaw in the popular Ogg Vorbis audio compression library. This issue manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit memory handling errors in the library's processing functions, creating opportunities for context-dependent attackers to disrupt system operations. The vulnerability resides in the core audio processing components that handle vorbis file metadata and audio block data, making it particularly dangerous in applications that process untrusted audio content.
The primary technical flaw occurs in the vorbis_info_clear function within info.c where an invalid mapping type triggers an out-of-bounds read condition. This memory access violation happens when the library attempts to process malformed audio metadata without proper validation of the mapping type parameter. The out-of-bounds read represents a classic memory corruption vulnerability that can lead to unpredictable behavior and system instability. Additionally, the vulnerability includes a secondary issue in the read function within block.c where invalid blocksize values cause a segmentation fault, effectively crashing the application through a null pointer dereference or invalid memory access pattern.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant denial of service risks for applications that rely on libvorbis for audio processing. Systems processing multimedia content from untrusted sources become vulnerable to crashes that can be exploited to disrupt services or cause application instability. The context-dependent nature of the attack means that exploitation requires specific conditions related to the input data format and processing context, but once triggered, the impact can be severe enough to prevent legitimate audio processing operations. This vulnerability affects a wide range of applications including media players, streaming services, and multimedia frameworks that depend on the Ogg Vorbis format for audio compression.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-129 Improper Validation of Array Index, both of which are classified under the broader category of memory safety issues. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under T1499.004 Network Denial of Service and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could potentially leverage this to disrupt audio processing services or escalate privileges through application crashes. The attack surface extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated exploitation techniques if combined with other vulnerabilities in the application stack. Organizations using affected versions should prioritize immediate patching to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability affects the fundamental audio processing capabilities of numerous multimedia applications.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate upgrading to libvorbis 1.2.0 or later versions where these memory handling issues have been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and validation for all audio file processing pipelines can help reduce the risk of exploitation. System administrators should also consider implementing application sandboxing and privilege separation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Regular security audits of multimedia processing components and monitoring for unusual application behavior or crashes can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date multimedia libraries and implementing robust input validation practices in audio processing applications to prevent similar memory safety issues from compromising system stability.