CVE-2008-5245 in xine-lib
Summary
by MITRE
xine-lib before 1.1.15 performs V4L video frame preallocation before ascertaining the required length, which has unknown impact and attack vectors, possibly related to a buffer overflow in the open_video_capture_device function in src/input/input_v4l.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-5245 affects xine-lib versions prior to 1.1.15 and relates to a critical flaw in the video capture device handling mechanism. This issue manifests within the open_video_capture_device function located in the src/input/input_v4l.c source file, where the library performs video frame preallocation before determining the actual required length for video capture operations. The flaw represents a classic buffer management error that can potentially lead to memory corruption conditions, making it particularly dangerous in multimedia processing environments where input validation is crucial for system stability and security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper resource allocation practices within the V4L (Video for Linux) video capture subsystem integration. When xine-lib initializes video capture devices, it attempts to preallocate video frame buffers without first validating or determining the actual size requirements for the video stream. This premature allocation can result in attempting to allocate more memory than necessary, potentially causing buffer overflows or memory corruption when the actual video data exceeds the preallocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can potentially enable attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions within applications that utilize xine-lib for video playback or capture operations. Since xine-lib is a widely used multimedia library that powers numerous applications including media players and video processing tools, the potential attack surface is significant. The unknown attack vectors associated with this vulnerability suggest that multiple exploitation paths may exist, including malformed video files or specially crafted video capture device configurations that could trigger the buffer overflow condition during normal operation.
Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where resource allocation precedes input validation, creating an inherent risk in the software's memory management strategy. The attack scenario would likely involve an attacker providing malicious video input or manipulating video capture device parameters to cause the preallocation to exceed safe buffer limits. This vulnerability pattern is consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1203, which addresses exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations using affected versions of xine-lib should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to version 1.1.15 or later, implementing input validation controls, and monitoring for potential exploitation attempts that could leverage this buffer overflow condition to gain unauthorized access to systems or disrupt multimedia services.