CVE-2011-0042 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
SBE.dll in the Stream Buffer Engine in Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP3, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows 7 Gold and SP1, and Windows Media Center TV Pack for Windows Vista does not properly parse Digital Video Recording (.dvr-ms) files, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file, aka "DVR-MS Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The CVE-2011-0042 vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Stream Buffer Engine component of Microsoft Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center applications. This vulnerability specifically affects multiple versions of the windows operating system including windows xp service packs 2 and 3, windows xp media center edition 2005 service pack 3, windows vista service packs 1 and 2, windows 7 gold and service pack 1, and the windows media center tv pack for windows vista. The vulnerability stems from improper parsing of digital video recording files with the .dvr-ms extension which are commonly used in digital television recording applications. The flaw exists in the sbe.dll library responsible for handling media streaming and buffering operations within the windows media framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a classic buffer overflow condition where maliciously crafted .dvr-ms files can cause the stream buffer engine to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. When windows media player or windows media center attempts to process these specially crafted files, the parsing routine fails to properly validate the file structure and size parameters, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-121 which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The attack vector is remote, meaning that an attacker can deliver the malicious file through various network channels including email attachments, web downloads, or network shares without requiring local system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote code execution on affected systems, potentially enabling attackers to gain full control over the compromised machine. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability affects a wide range of microsoft windows products making it particularly dangerous as it increases the potential attack surface across multiple operating system versions. The attack requires minimal user interaction since the malicious file can be automatically processed when opened by the affected media applications, making it particularly effective for drive-by download attacks.
Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through security updates released in march 2011 as part of their regular security bulletin cycle. The patch modifies the parsing logic within the sbe.dll component to properly validate .dvr-ms file structures and implement proper bounds checking to prevent buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should implement the microsoft security update as soon as possible and consider additional mitigations such as disabling automatic media playback in web browsers and email clients. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in media processing components and aligns with tactics used in the attack phase of the kill chain where adversaries attempt to establish persistent access through exploitation of software vulnerabilities. Compliance with industry standards such as the iso 27001 information security management framework and the nist cybersecurity framework is essential for organizations to effectively detect and remediate such vulnerabilities. This vulnerability also highlights the need for regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar flaws in media handling components that could be exploited by adversaries using techniques documented in the mitre attack framework.