CVE-2009-2527 in Windows Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via (1) a crafted ASF file or (2) crafted streaming content, aka "WMP Heap Overflow Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2025
The CVE-2009-2527 vulnerability represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Windows Media Player version 6.4 that enables remote code execution through maliciously crafted media content. This vulnerability resides in the handling of Advanced Systems Format files and streaming media content, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through multiple attack vectors. The flaw occurs when the media player processes malformed ASF (Advanced Systems Format) files or streaming content that triggers improper memory management during the parsing process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the Windows Media Player's memory allocation routines. When processing specially crafted ASF files or streaming content, the application fails to properly validate input data lengths before copying data into fixed-size heap buffers. This oversight allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious code, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the media player. The vulnerability specifically affects the heap memory management subsystem where the player allocates memory for processing media streams, making it susceptible to heap-based buffer overflow exploitation techniques.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments and individual users alike, as Windows Media Player was widely distributed and often used to play multimedia content from untrusted sources. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability through email attachments containing malicious ASF files, compromised websites serving crafted streaming content, or malicious network shares. The remote exploitation capability means that users need not interact with the media content directly for the attack to succeed, as the vulnerability can be triggered during automatic playback or when the media player processes content in the background. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in corporate environments where users might unknowingly encounter malicious content while browsing the internet or accessing shared network resources.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can be leveraged to establish persistent access to affected systems. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a code injection technique, specifically utilizing heap-based buffer overflow methods that align with the T1055.003 sub-technique for "Process Injection: Dynamic-link Library Injection." Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including disabling Windows Media Player, applying Microsoft security patches, and configuring network firewalls to block ASF file types. The CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) classification for this vulnerability is CWE-121, which represents "Stack-based Buffer Overflow," though the heap-based nature of the specific implementation makes it more accurately categorized as CWE-122, "Heap-based Buffer Overflow." Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1203 in ATT&CK, which covers "Exploitation for Client Execution," as it exploits client-side applications to achieve remote code execution.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patch deployment from Microsoft, network segmentation to prevent unauthorized access to media content, and user education regarding the dangers of opening suspicious files. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of Windows Media Player and related components, particularly in high-risk environments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in multimedia processing applications, as well as the critical need for regular security updates and vulnerability assessments in enterprise environments. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling such security events.