CVE-2011-5003 in Media Composer
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Phonetic Indexer (AvidPhoneticIndexer.exe) in Avid Media Composer 5.5.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long request to TCP port 4659.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5003 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Avid Media Composer 5.5.3 software suite, specifically affecting the Phonetic Indexer component known as AvidPhoneticIndexer.exe. This vulnerability exists in the network service that listens on TCP port 4659, making it accessible to remote attackers who can exploit the flaw without requiring local system access. The buffer overflow occurs when the application processes incoming requests that exceed the allocated stack buffer space, potentially allowing malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory locations and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack data. The flaw specifically manifests when the Phonetic Indexer receives a malformed request containing excessive data, causing the application to write beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely over the network, eliminating the need for physical access to the target system. The attack vector leverages the TCP port 4659 service, which serves as the communication channel for the indexer functionality, making it a prime target for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with potential persistence mechanisms and privilege escalation capabilities within the target environment. Since Avid Media Composer is widely used in professional video editing and post-production workflows, exploitation of this vulnerability could compromise media production environments, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or disruption of critical creative processes. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Avid Media Composer for their video editing workflows, particularly those with network-accessible installations or those that expose the service to untrusted networks. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive media assets or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Avid, as the vulnerability presents a significant risk to media production environments. The recommended mitigation strategy includes applying the vendor-supplied security updates and implementing network segmentation to restrict access to TCP port 4659. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns on the affected port and establish secure network configurations that limit exposure to untrusted networks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in network services, particularly those handling external communications in professional multimedia applications. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Avid Media Composer installations to identify any additional exposure points and ensure that all related services are properly secured against similar remote execution vulnerabilities.