CVE-2008-3827 in MPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer underflows in the Real demuxer (demux_real.c) in MPlayer 1.0_rc2 and earlier allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (process termination) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted video file that causes the stream_read function to read or write arbitrary memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3827 represents a critical security flaw within the MPlayer media player software version 1.0_rc2 and earlier. This issue resides in the Real demuxer component, specifically within the demux_real.c file, which is responsible for parsing and handling Real-time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) media files. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling of integer values during the parsing process of crafted video files, creating a scenario where malicious actors can manipulate the application's memory operations through carefully constructed media content.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability manifests as multiple integer underflows within the stream_read function implementation. When processing specially crafted Real media files, the demuxer fails to properly validate integer values that determine memory allocation sizes and buffer boundaries. This deficiency allows attackers to manipulate these integer values such that they underflow to extremely large positive values, causing the application to attempt reading or writing to arbitrary memory locations. The underflow conditions occur when the demuxer processes malformed headers or metadata within the Real media file format, specifically in how it calculates buffer sizes for data structures used during media stream parsing.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to system security and availability. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw to trigger denial of service conditions by causing the MPlayer process to terminate unexpectedly, effectively preventing legitimate users from accessing media content. More critically, the integer underflow conditions can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the MPlayer process, as the application may attempt to write data to memory locations that could be controlled by the attacker. This represents a severe privilege escalation risk when MPlayer is executed with elevated privileges or when used in environments where it processes untrusted media content.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it demonstrates a fundamental flaw in memory management and input validation practices within the media processing subsystem. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially inject malicious code into the application's memory space, leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-190, which addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting input validation flaws to achieve arbitrary code execution. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that MPlayer is widely used across multiple platforms and distributions, making this vulnerability applicable to numerous systems and users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3827 require immediate action to address the underlying integer underflow conditions in the demux_real.c file. The most effective solution involves upgrading to MPlayer version 1.0_rc3 or later, which contains patches specifically designed to address the integer underflow vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement input validation measures that restrict processing of untrusted media files and consider deploying network segmentation to limit exposure to potential attackers. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for any attempts to access vulnerable MPlayer installations and ensure that media processing applications are running with minimal required privileges to limit potential impact from successful exploitation attempts.