CVE-2012-5855 in VLC Media Player
Summary
by MITRE
The SHAddToRecentDocs function in VideoLAN VLC media player 2.0.4 and earlier might allow user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted file name that triggers an incorrect string-length calculation when the file is added to VLC. NOTE: it is not clear whether this issue crosses privilege boundaries or whether it can be exploited without user interaction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5855 resides within the SHAddToRecentDocs function of VideoLAN VLC media player version 2.0.4 and earlier. This flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs during the processing of file names when attempting to add files to the recent documents list. The vulnerability stems from an incorrect string-length calculation that fails to properly validate input parameters before processing them within the application's memory management routines. The issue manifests when VLC attempts to handle a crafted file name that exceeds expected length parameters, leading to memory corruption and subsequent application crash.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of string operations within the Windows Shell integration component of VLC. When a maliciously crafted file name is processed through the SHAddToRecentDocs function, the application fails to perform adequate bounds checking on the input string length. This weakness creates an exploitable condition where the application's memory management system attempts to allocate or access memory regions beyond the intended boundaries, resulting in a segmentation fault or access violation that terminates the application process. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and does not require elevated privileges to trigger, though it necessitates user interaction to initiate the file processing sequence.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk for users who may inadvertently encounter maliciously crafted media files or when VLC processes files from untrusted sources. The denial of service impact affects the availability of the media player application, forcing users to restart the program and potentially lose unsaved playback state or recent file references. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, as the attack occurs during normal file processing operations when the application attempts to maintain its recent documents list. This makes it particularly concerning for environments where VLC is used extensively for media playback or file management tasks.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a denial of service attack vector under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service, though the specific execution pathway involves local application-level memory corruption rather than network-based disruption. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of VLC installations to versions 2.0.5 and later, which contain the necessary fixes for proper string length validation. Additionally, users should exercise caution when processing files from untrusted sources and consider implementing application whitelisting measures to prevent execution of vulnerable versions of VLC in enterprise environments.