CVE-2008-4610 in MPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
MPlayer allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via (1) a malformed AAC file, as demonstrated by lol-vlc.aac; or (2) a malformed Ogg Media (OGM) file, as demonstrated by lol-ffplay.ogm, different vectors than CVE-2007-6718.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4610 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the MPlayer multimedia playback application that affects systems processing audio and video content. This vulnerability specifically targets the application's handling of malformed audio and video files, creating a scenario where remote attackers can intentionally crash the application through crafted media files. The flaw demonstrates the inherent risks associated with multimedia processing applications that must parse and interpret various file formats without adequate input validation. The vulnerability affects both AAC audio files and OGG media files, with specific demonstration files provided including lol-vlc.aac and lol-ffplay.ogm, which showcase how malformed data can trigger application instability. Unlike CVE-2007-6718 which addressed similar issues in different media formats, this vulnerability presents distinct attack vectors that require separate mitigation approaches. The technical nature of the flaw suggests that MPlayer's media parser lacks proper bounds checking and input sanitization when processing these specific file formats.
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within MPlayer's media file parsing routines. When the application encounters malformed AAC or OGM files, the parsing logic fails to properly handle unexpected data structures or corrupted file headers, leading to memory corruption or invalid pointer dereferences that ultimately result in application termination. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, which encompasses issues related to improper validation of input boundaries, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for denial of service attacks targeting application stability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to trigger crashes without requiring local system access, making it exploitable through various network-based attack vectors including web downloads, email attachments, or streaming media services that utilize MPlayer for content playback.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4610 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially disrupt media services and user productivity. Organizations relying on MPlayer for multimedia playback in enterprise environments face significant risks, as attackers could use this vulnerability to repeatedly crash media applications, leading to service interruptions and potential data loss. The vulnerability affects not only individual users but also media servers, streaming platforms, and content delivery networks that depend on reliable media processing capabilities. In addition to the immediate denial of service effects, this vulnerability could serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks, as application crashes might be used to establish a foothold for further exploitation or to mask other malicious activities. The remote exploitability aspect means that systems processing user-generated content or streaming media are particularly vulnerable, as they may automatically attempt to parse and play media files without proper user intervention.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4610 should focus on both immediate patching and defensive measures to protect against exploitation. The primary solution involves updating to a patched version of MPlayer that includes proper input validation and error handling for AAC and OGG file formats, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases of the application. Organizations should implement network-based filtering to block or scan suspicious media files before they reach end-user systems, particularly when dealing with user-uploaded content or untrusted sources. Input validation controls should be enhanced to include boundary checking and data sanitization for all media file formats processed by the application. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict media playback to known good applications and versions. From a security monitoring perspective, organizations should establish alerts for unexpected application crashes or restarts in media processing environments, as these could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments for multimedia applications and the need for comprehensive input validation across all supported file formats to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.