CVE-2011-2194 in VLC Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the XSPF playlist parser in VideoLAN VLC media player 0.8.5 through 1.1.9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors that trigger a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2194 represents a critical security flaw within the VideoLAN VLC media player software ecosystem, specifically targeting the XSPF playlist parser component. This issue affects versions ranging from 0.8.5 through 1.1.9, creating a substantial attack surface across multiple iterations of the popular media player. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation mechanisms within the playlist parsing logic, which fails to adequately handle malformed or maliciously crafted XSPF files that could be delivered through various network channels including web downloads, email attachments, or malicious websites. The integer overflow condition occurs during the processing of playlist metadata where numeric values exceed their allocated storage capacity, leading to unpredictable behavior in memory management operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages heap-based buffer overflow conditions that arise when the parser attempts to allocate memory for playlist elements without proper bounds checking. When malicious input triggers the integer overflow, the subsequent memory allocation calculations become corrupted, causing the application to write data beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This fundamental memory corruption vulnerability creates opportunities for remote attackers to manipulate the program execution flow, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution on the target system. The heap-based nature of the overflow means that attackers can manipulate heap metadata structures, including chunk headers and free lists, which can result in both crash conditions and more sophisticated exploitation techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to buffer overflows and memory corruption issues.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2194 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized code execution capabilities. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through seemingly legitimate media playlist files, making the attack vector particularly insidious as users might not suspect that playing a playlist could result in system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, allowing for widespread exploitation through web-based attack vectors. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves the exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or execute code remotely. The affected VLC versions were widely deployed across enterprise and consumer environments, amplifying the potential impact of this vulnerability across diverse threat landscapes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2194 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by VideoLAN to address the integer overflow conditions within the XSPF parser. Organizations should prioritize updating to VLC versions 1.1.10 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement additional protective measures including content filtering systems that can detect and block suspicious playlist files, particularly those originating from untrusted sources. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal memory allocation patterns and heap corruption indicators that may suggest exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and bounds checking in media processing applications, emphasizing the need for robust defensive programming practices. System administrators should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for media player applications to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts, while also maintaining regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other media processing components that may be susceptible to similar attack vectors.