CVE-2010-3276 in VLC Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
libdirectx_plugin.dll in VideoLAN VLC Media Player before 1.1.8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted width in an NSV file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3276 resides within the libdirectx_plugin.dll component of VideoLAN VLC Media Player version 1.1.7 and earlier. This issue represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing NSV (Neff Speex Video) media files, specifically when the width parameter within these files is manipulated to exceed expected boundaries. The flaw manifests during the parsing of NSV file headers where the application fails to properly validate the width field, allowing attackers to craft malicious NSV files that trigger memory corruption when the media player attempts to decode and render the video content.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow, where insufficient validation of input parameters leads to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code. The attack vector requires remote exploitation through the delivery of a malicious NSV file, which when opened by an affected VLC version will cause the application to crash or potentially execute attacker-controlled code. The technical implementation leverages the fact that the libdirectx_plugin.dll does not perform adequate bounds checking on the width parameter, allowing the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple media playback manipulation, as it represents a significant security risk for users who may unknowingly open maliciously crafted media files. The exploitation process typically involves crafting an NSV file with an oversized width parameter that causes a buffer overflow when the video player attempts to allocate memory for the video frame. This vulnerability affects a wide range of users since VLC Media Player is widely distributed and used across multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by viewing or playing the malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted media content.
The vulnerability demonstrates a critical weakness in input validation practices within multimedia processing libraries, where the assumption that media file headers contain valid data leads to memory corruption. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute code on target systems. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly effective in phishing campaigns or when users browse untrusted media repositories. Organizations should consider implementing network-based restrictions on NSV file types or deploying updated VLC versions as immediate mitigations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper bounds checking in multimedia libraries and the need for regular security updates to address such memory corruption issues that can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction beyond normal media playback operations.