CVE-2008-0296 in VLC Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the libaccess_realrtsp plugin in VideoLAN VLC Media Player 0.8.6d and earlier on Windows might allow remote RTSP servers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or execute arbitrary code via a long string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0296 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within the libaccess_realrtsp plugin of VideoLAN VLC Media Player version 0.8.6d and earlier releases on Windows operating systems. This flaw resides in the handling of RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) connections and specifically affects the processing of malformed RTSP responses from remote servers. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking when parsing RTSP server responses, particularly those containing excessively long strings that exceed the allocated heap buffer space.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious RTSP server sends a specially crafted response containing a string that exceeds the predetermined buffer limits within the libaccess_realrtsp plugin. When VLC attempts to process this malformed data, the buffer overflow occurs in the heap memory region allocated for RTSP response handling, potentially leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow, which typically allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially manipulate program execution flow through controlled memory corruption.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users of VLC Media Player who may unknowingly connect to malicious RTSP servers or encounter compromised media streams. The potential for remote code execution means that attackers could gain complete control over affected systems, while the denial of service component could disrupt legitimate media playback operations. The vulnerability affects Windows platforms specifically, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where VLC is commonly used for media playback and streaming applications. Organizations relying on VLC for legitimate media processing are at risk of both service disruption and potential compromise when encountering malicious RTSP streams.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and corresponds to attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for Exploit Public-Facing Application. The most effective mitigation strategies include immediate patching of VLC Media Player to versions 0.8.6e or later, which contain the necessary memory boundary checks and input validation fixes. Network administrators should also consider implementing RTSP protocol filtering and monitoring to detect and prevent connections to known malicious RTSP servers. Additionally, users should avoid connecting to untrusted RTSP sources and maintain current antivirus signatures that can detect exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. The remediation approach should include both immediate software updates and long-term network security enhancements to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other media processing components.