CVE-2012-1584 in TagLib
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the mid function in toolkit/tbytevector.cpp in TagLib 1.7 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted file header field in a media file, which triggers a large memory allocation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1584 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the TagLib library version 1.7 and earlier, specifically affecting the mid function implementation in toolkit/tbytevector.cpp. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and arithmetic overflow handling when processing media file header fields, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted media files can trigger unexpected behavior in applications that rely on TagLib for metadata parsing. The vulnerability falls under the category of software security flaws that can lead to denial of service conditions and potentially more severe consequences depending on the application context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when TagLib attempts to parse a specially crafted media file header field that contains integer values exceeding the maximum representable value for the data type being used. When the mid function processes such input, it performs arithmetic operations that result in integer overflow, causing the application to attempt allocating an unexpectedly large amount of memory. This memory allocation failure typically manifests as an application crash or system instability, effectively providing a denial of service vector for context-dependent attackers who can craft media files to trigger this specific condition. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input sanitization practices and inadequate boundary checking in the memory management routines.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects any application that utilizes TagLib 1.7 or earlier versions for media file processing, including media players, digital asset management systems, content servers, and multimedia applications. The denial of service condition can be particularly disruptive in environments where continuous media processing is required, as a single malicious file can cause application failures and potentially system-wide instability. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by creating media files with crafted header fields that, when processed by vulnerable applications, trigger the integer overflow condition and subsequent memory allocation failures. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in automated processing environments or applications that handle untrusted media files from external sources.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.1, focusing on resource exhaustion through denial of service attacks. Organizations using affected versions of TagLib should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to TagLib version 1.8 or later, which contains patches addressing this integer overflow condition. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within applications that utilize TagLib can provide defense-in-depth protection. Regular security assessments and dependency updates should be prioritized to prevent similar vulnerabilities from affecting system security posture. The incident highlights the importance of robust memory management practices and comprehensive input validation in multimedia processing libraries to prevent exploitation through crafted media file inputs.