CVE-2009-4932 in 1by1
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in 1by1 1.67 (aka 1.6.7.0) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a long string in a .m3u playlist file.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4932 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw in the 1by1 media player version 1.67, also known as 1.6.7.0. This issue arises from insufficient input validation when processing media playlist files, specifically .m3u format files that are commonly used to store lists of audio or video files for playback. The vulnerability exists within the application's handling of user-supplied data during playlist parsing operations, creating a dangerous condition where attacker-controlled input can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the 1by1 player processes a maliciously crafted .m3u file containing an excessively long string in its data fields. The application fails to properly bounds-check the length of strings read from playlist files before copying them into fixed-size stack buffers. This fundamental flaw allows an attacker to overflow the allocated buffer space and overwrite adjacent stack memory, including return addresses and other critical program state information. The vulnerability is classified as a stack-based buffer overflow under CWE-121, which specifically addresses buffer overflow conditions that occur when data is written beyond the bounds of a stack buffer.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security risks to users who may encounter maliciously crafted playlist files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or peer-to-peer file sharing networks. The remote exploitation capability means that an attacker can potentially trigger the vulnerability without requiring local access to the target system. Successful exploitation can result in either a denial of service condition causing the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution within the context of the running application. The latter scenario could allow attackers to gain full control over the affected system, particularly if the application runs with elevated privileges or if the target system has other vulnerabilities that can be chained together.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability as it demonstrates a classic weakness in input validation and memory management practices that are fundamental to secure software development. The issue aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through software updates or patches provided by the vendor, while also implementing defensive measures such as restricting user access to playlist files from untrusted sources and monitoring for suspicious file execution patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of robust input validation, proper memory management, and the necessity of regular security updates in preventing exploitation of such fundamental flaws in multimedia applications.