CVE-2007-5301 in AlsaPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the vorbis_stream_info function in input/vorbis/vorbis_engine.c (aka the vorbis input plugin) in AlsaPlayer before 0.99.80-rc3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a .OGG file with long comments.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5301 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the vorbis input plugin of AlsaPlayer version 0.99.80-rc3 and earlier. This security issue resides in the vorbis_stream_info function located in the input/vorbis/vorbis_engine.c source file, which processes OGG multimedia files containing vorbis audio streams. The flaw manifests when the player encounters a specially crafted .OGG file with excessively long comment fields, creating a condition where insufficient input validation allows malicious data to overflow predetermined buffer boundaries. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, where the function fails to properly validate the length of comment data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides remote attackers with complete system compromise potential through crafted media files. When an unsuspecting user plays a maliciously formatted .OGG file, the vorbis_stream_info function processes the comment metadata without adequate bounds checking, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to redirect program control flow. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to inject and execute malicious payloads, potentially gaining unauthorized system access, escalating privileges, or establishing persistent backdoors. The attack vector requires only that a user play the malicious file through AlsaPlayer, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter untrusted multimedia content. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by enabling malicious code execution through media processing applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-5301 require immediate software updates to AlsaPlayer version 0.99.80-rc3 or later, which contain patches addressing the buffer overflow in the vorbis input plugin. System administrators should implement comprehensive software inventory management to identify all systems running vulnerable versions of AlsaPlayer and ensure timely patch deployment. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict file format validation for multimedia content, particularly when processing files from untrusted sources, and configuring network-based filters to block suspicious OGG files. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in multimedia processing libraries, emphasizing the need for proper bounds checking and memory management practices. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting user privileges when handling multimedia content to minimize potential exploitation impact. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file processing patterns and memory allocation anomalies that may indicate exploitation attempts.