CVE-2009-3201 in Media Player Classic
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Media Player Classic 6.4.9 allows user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a MIDI file (.mid) with a malformed header, which triggers a buffer overflow, a different vulnerability than CVE-2007-4940.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2024
Media Player Classic version 6.4.9 contains a critical integer overflow vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through carefully crafted MIDI files. This vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of malformed MIDI file headers, where the software fails to properly validate integer values during header parsing operations. The flaw occurs when the media player attempts to process a .mid file containing an oversized or improperly formatted header field, leading to an integer overflow condition that subsequently triggers a buffer overflow within the application's memory management system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the MIDI file parser component of Media Player Classic. When processing a maliciously crafted MIDI header, the application performs arithmetic operations on integer values without proper bounds checking, allowing an attacker to manipulate header fields in such a way that integer overflow occurs. This overflow corrupts adjacent memory locations and ultimately results in a buffer overflow condition that causes the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability is classified as user-assisted remote exploitation because it requires the user to open or play the malicious MIDI file, but the attack can be initiated remotely through various delivery mechanisms such as email attachments or malicious websites.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to end users who may unknowingly encounter malicious MIDI files in their media libraries or through web-based content. The denial of service condition effectively renders the Media Player Classic application unusable until manually restarted, potentially disrupting legitimate media playback operations. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability operates under the attack pattern category of buffer overflow exploitation, which aligns with common attack techniques documented in the attack tree framework. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is a well-established weakness in software security that frequently leads to memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of vendor patches or updates to Media Player Classic version 6.5 or later, which contain proper input validation and integer overflow protection mechanisms. System administrators should implement application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of potentially malicious media files, particularly those with .mid extensions from untrusted sources. Network-level defenses such as intrusion prevention systems can be configured to detect and block suspicious MIDI file content patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for media playback applications to contain potential exploitation attempts and prevent escalation to more serious security incidents. Regular security assessments of media processing applications should be conducted to identify similar integer overflow vulnerabilities that may exist in other multimedia components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution tactic, as it represents a classic client-side exploitation vector that leverages application-level flaws to achieve remote code execution or denial of service outcomes.