CVE-2008-0073 in xine-lib
Summary
by MITRE
Array index error in the sdpplin_parse function in input/libreal/sdpplin.c in xine-lib 1.1.10.1 allows remote RTSP servers to execute arbitrary code via a large streamid SDP parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0073 represents a critical array index error within the xine-lib multimedia framework version 1.1.10.1. This flaw exists in the sdpplin_parse function located in the input/libreal/sdpplin.c source file, which processes Session Description Protocol parameters during RTSP stream handling. The vulnerability specifically targets the streamid SDP parameter, which is commonly used in Real Time Streaming Protocol communications to identify specific media streams. When a remote RTSP server sends a specially crafted SDP message containing an excessively large streamid parameter, the parsing function fails to properly validate array bounds, creating a potential buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array index values, and represents a classic buffer overflow scenario that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw occurs during the parsing of SDP (Session Description Protocol) parameters, which are fundamental to RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) communication used extensively in multimedia streaming applications. When the sdpplin_parse function processes the streamid parameter without proper bounds checking, it can write data beyond the allocated memory space for the array, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including function return addresses, stack variables, or other critical program data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of xine-lib. This affects any application or system that relies on xine-lib for multimedia playback, including media centers, streaming servers, and multimedia applications. The vulnerability can be exploited through unauthenticated remote connections, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where RTSP streams are commonly processed. Attackers can craft malicious SDP responses that contain oversized streamid parameters, causing the vulnerable parsing function to overflow and potentially redirect execution flow to malicious code injected into the program memory space.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires a remote RTSP server to send a malformed SDP message containing an abnormally large streamid parameter that exceeds the expected array bounds during parsing. This attack vector demonstrates the importance of input validation in network protocols and highlights the risks associated with processing untrusted data in multimedia applications. Systems using xine-lib versions prior to 1.1.10.2 are at risk, as the fix implemented in subsequent releases includes proper bounds checking for array indices during SDP parameter parsing. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, firewall rules that restrict RTSP traffic, and application-level filtering to mitigate exposure while applying the appropriate security patches to address this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a code injection technique under the T1059.007 sub-technique, specifically targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities in multimedia processing libraries.