CVE-2008-5242 in xine-lib
Summary
by MITRE
demux_qt.c in xine-lib 1.1.12, and other 1.1.15 and earlier versions, does not validate the count field before calling calloc for STSD_ATOM atom allocation, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted media file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5242 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the xine-lib multimedia framework version 1.1.12 and earlier releases including 1.1.15. This flaw exists in the demux_qt.c component responsible for parsing QuickTime media files and specifically targets the handling of the STSD_ATOM structure during media file demultiplexing operations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify the count field before proceeding with memory allocation procedures, creating a pathway for maliciously crafted media files to exploit the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of the count field within the STSD_ATOM atom structure which is a fundamental component of QuickTime file format specifications. When xine-lib processes a media file, it reads the count field from the STSD_ATOM header to determine how many entries to allocate memory for within the atom structure. However, the demux_qt.c module fails to validate this count field against expected boundaries or reasonable limits before invoking the calloc memory allocation function. This allows an attacker to craft a media file containing an oversized count value that, when processed, results in excessive memory allocation requests or memory corruption conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution within the context of the affected application. When a maliciously crafted media file is processed by xine-lib, the system may crash due to memory allocation failures or experience memory corruption that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the target system. This represents a serious security concern as it allows remote attackers to compromise systems running vulnerable versions of xine-lib without requiring local access or authentication. The vulnerability affects applications that utilize xine-lib for multimedia playback, including various media players and applications that rely on this library for content processing.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices or count values, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate fundamental security principles for handling untrusted data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the parsing layer of multimedia processing, where attackers can leverage it through common media file formats that are widely distributed across networks and systems. Organizations using affected versions of xine-lib should implement immediate mitigations including software updates, input validation restrictions, and network-based filtering to prevent exploitation attempts.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of patches or updates to xine-lib versions 1.1.16 and later, which contain the necessary fixes for proper count field validation. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and content filtering measures to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious media files to affected systems. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that all multimedia processing components are updated to versions that address this class of vulnerability, as similar issues may exist in other multimedia frameworks that fail to properly validate input parameters before memory allocation operations.