CVE-2014-3899 in GOM Player
Summary
by MITRE
Gretech GOM Player 2.2.51.5149 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (launch outage) via a crafted image file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3899 affects Gretech GOM Player version 2.2.51.5149 and earlier, representing a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted image files. This flaw resides within the media player's handling of image file formats, specifically targeting the application's image parsing and rendering mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with a buffer overflow or improper input validation issue, where the player fails to properly sanitize or validate image file data before processing. Attackers can leverage this weakness by constructing specially crafted image files that, when opened by the vulnerable GOM Player, trigger abnormal application behavior leading to complete service disruption. The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, though the exact implementation mechanism requires further analysis of the specific file format parsing code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption as it creates a potential attack vector for broader system compromise. When exploited successfully, the denial of service condition can cause the GOM Player application to crash or become unresponsive, effectively removing media playback functionality for users. This disruption can occur during normal playback operations or when the application attempts to process image files during startup or file browsing activities. The remote exploit capability means attackers do not need physical access to target systems, enabling widespread impact across networks where vulnerable GOM Player installations exist. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability represents a low-effort, high-impact method for disrupting media services, particularly in enterprise environments where media players are commonly used for presentations, training materials, or content delivery. The attack surface is broadened by the popularity of GOM Player in various organizational settings, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to disrupt operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3899 should prioritize immediate patching of affected GOM Player installations to version 2.2.51.5150 or later, which contains the necessary code fixes to address the image file parsing vulnerability. System administrators should implement network-based restrictions to prevent unauthorized access to vulnerable systems and consider implementing application whitelisting policies that limit execution of potentially malicious image files. The vulnerability's characteristics suggest that input validation and bounds checking mechanisms should be strengthened within the application's image processing modules, following principles established in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework's defense evasion techniques. Organizations should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can monitor for suspicious file handling activities and implement regular security assessments to identify other potentially vulnerable applications within their environments. Additionally, user education regarding safe file handling practices and the importance of keeping software updated can serve as an additional layer of protection against exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in legitimate functionality while maintaining the application's core media playback capabilities.