CVE-2010-1042 in Windows Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 does not properly perform colorspace conversion, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted .AVI file. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 contains a critical vulnerability in its handling of colorspace conversion processes that can be exploited by remote attackers to achieve either denial of service or arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability stems from improper validation and processing of color information within .AVI multimedia files, specifically when the player attempts to convert color formats during video playback. The flaw exists in the multimedia processing pipeline where the application fails to properly validate color space parameters in crafted malicious files, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution. According to industry standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, both of which represent serious memory safety issues that can result in system compromise. The attack vector requires a remote attacker to deliver a specially crafted .AVI file that triggers the vulnerable colorspace conversion code path when the media player processes the file. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it can potentially allow remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous in unpatched systems. This issue demonstrates the inherent risks in multimedia processing libraries where complex format handling can introduce memory corruption vulnerabilities. The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that simply opening or previewing a malicious file can result in system compromise without user interaction beyond the initial file access. Organizations running Windows Media Player 11 are particularly at risk as this vulnerability affects a widely deployed media player application that processes multimedia content from various sources. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability indicates that attackers can manipulate the player's memory layout to inject and execute malicious code, potentially leading to full system compromise. The lack of official confirmation regarding the vulnerability's origin underscores the importance of proactive security measures and patch management. This vulnerability highlights the challenges in securing multimedia processing components where complex format parsing can introduce multiple attack surfaces. The colorspace conversion functionality represents a particularly sensitive area as it involves low-level memory operations that must handle various color format conversions, making it susceptible to buffer overflow conditions. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability occurs during the parsing of specific .AVI file headers that contain malformed color space information, which causes the player to attempt invalid memory operations. The potential for remote code execution makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where users may inadvertently encounter malicious media files through email attachments, web downloads, or network shares. Microsoft's response to this vulnerability would have required addressing the memory handling routines in the media processing pipeline, specifically focusing on bounds checking and proper parameter validation during colorspace conversion operations. The vulnerability's impact on system stability and security underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date media player software and implementing network-based security controls to prevent the execution of potentially malicious media files. Organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of media players on systems where such vulnerabilities exist, while also monitoring for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection mechanisms. The remediation of this vulnerability would have involved patching the media player's color processing code to ensure proper bounds checking and memory allocation during colorspace conversion operations. This case study illustrates the broader security implications of multimedia processing vulnerabilities and the importance of robust input validation in complex software components that handle user-supplied data.