CVE-2007-6478 in Rosoft Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Rosoft Media Player 4.1.7, 4.1.8, and possibly earlier versions allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long string in a .M3U file. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6478 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw affecting Rosoft Media Player versions 4.1.7, 4.1.8, and potentially earlier releases. This security weakness resides in the media player's handling of .M3U playlist files, which are commonly used to organize and stream multimedia content. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the application's parser responsible for processing playlist metadata, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered through maliciously crafted file content.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the Rosoft Media Player processes a specially constructed .M3U file containing an excessively long string in its data fields. The application fails to properly bounds-check the length of strings read from these playlist files before copying them into fixed-size stack buffers. This inadequate memory management allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting the program's execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability specifically manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow, which is classified under CWE-121 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, representing an insufficient boundary checking condition in memory allocation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious code on vulnerable systems with the privileges of the user running the media player, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The attack vector requires only that a user open or play a maliciously crafted .M3U file, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios involving email attachments, web downloads, or shared network resources. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the use of malicious files to gain initial access or execute commands on target systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected Rosoft Media Player versions, as no official security updates were provided for this specific flaw by the vendor. System administrators should implement strict file type filtering and user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted playlist files. Network security controls such as intrusion prevention systems and content filtering appliances can help detect and block malicious .M3U files. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by running media players with minimal user permissions and employing sandboxing techniques to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning to identify systems running vulnerable software versions and establish proper software inventory management practices to prevent such outdated applications from remaining in production environments.