CVE-2008-0619 in MediaPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in NeroMediaPlayer.exe in Nero Media Player 1.4.0.35 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (persistent crash) via a long URI in a .M3U file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0619 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Nero Media Player version 1.4.0.35 and earlier installations. This security weakness resides in the NeroMediaPlayer.exe component which processes media playlist files, specifically targeting the handling of .M3U playlist files that contain maliciously crafted Uniform Resource Identifiers. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking when parsing URI strings within playlist files, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered through remote attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of user-supplied data during the parsing of .M3U files, which are commonly used to store lists of media files for playback. When a maliciously constructed .M3U file containing an excessively long URI string is processed by the vulnerable Nero Media Player application, the application fails to properly validate the length of the URI before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. This buffer overflow condition allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability resulting in persistent crashes. The vulnerability manifests as a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario where the application's memory management fails to account for the possibility of input data exceeding allocated buffer boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise potential. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Nero Media Player, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The persistent crash condition mentioned in the vulnerability description indicates that successful exploitation could result in sustained system instability, making the affected system unreliable for normal operations. Additionally, this vulnerability affects a widely used media player application, increasing the potential attack surface and making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to exploit systems through social engineering or automated scanning techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0619 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the latest version of Nero Media Player that addresses this buffer overflow vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious playlist files, particularly those obtained from untrusted sources. Input validation measures should be implemented at network boundaries to filter out potentially malicious .M3U files before they reach end-user systems. System administrators should also consider disabling automatic playlist file processing in media players and implementing mandatory user confirmation for playlist execution. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of remote services through malformed input processing. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable software in the enterprise environment.