CVE-2010-0356 in Movie Player Pro SDK ActiveX
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the MOVIEPLAYER.MoviePlayerCtrl.1 ActiveX control in MoviePlayer.ocx 6.8.0.0 in Viscom Software Movie Player Pro SDK ActiveX 6.8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long strFontName parameter to the DrawText method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-0356 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Viscom Software Movie Player Pro SDK ActiveX control version 6.8.0.0. This particular vulnerability exists within the MOVIEPLAYER.MoviePlayerCtrl.1 ActiveX control component that is part of the MoviePlayer.ocx library, making it accessible through web browsers that support ActiveX controls, particularly Internet Explorer. The flaw manifests when the DrawText method processes a malformed strFontName parameter, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized code execution on vulnerable systems. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of a fixed-length buffer allocated on the stack, leading to potential memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper input validation within the DrawText method of the ActiveX control. When an attacker supplies an excessively long strFontName parameter, the control fails to properly bounds-check the input before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer. This oversight allows the attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations, potentially including return addresses, function pointers, or other critical control data structures. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through web-based attacks, making it possible for remote adversaries to exploit the vulnerability without requiring local system access. The vulnerability's exploitability is enhanced by the fact that ActiveX controls are often automatically executed by web browsers when visiting malicious websites, providing attackers with a straightforward path to code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities on compromised systems. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, allowing threat actors to install malware, establish backdoors, steal sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within a network. The vulnerability affects systems running the specific version of Viscom Software Movie Player Pro SDK ActiveX control, particularly those with Internet Explorer configured to automatically execute ActiveX controls. This makes organizations with legacy systems or those that have not updated their software components particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The attack surface is significant given that ActiveX controls were widely deployed in enterprise environments and were often enabled by default in corporate browser configurations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-0356 should focus on immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary recommendation is to update to the latest version of Viscom Software Movie Player Pro SDK that contains patches for this vulnerability, as the vendor would have likely addressed the buffer overflow issue through proper input validation and bounds checking. Organizations should also implement browser security configurations that disable ActiveX controls or restrict their execution to trusted sites only, following the principle of least privilege. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems and web application firewalls can help detect and block exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable ActiveX control throughout their infrastructure and ensure that automatic execution of ActiveX components is disabled by default. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping software components updated, aligning with best practices outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter.