CVE-2014-3970 in PulseAudio
Summary
by MITRE
The pa_rtp_recv function in modules/rtp/rtp.c in the module-rtp-recv module in PulseAudio 5.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and abort) via an empty UDP packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3970 represents a critical denial of service weakness within PulseAudio's real-time audio processing framework. This flaw exists in the pa_rtp_recv function located within the modules/rtp/rtp.c file of the module-rtp-recv module. The issue affects PulseAudio versions 5.0 and earlier, making it a significant concern for systems relying on this audio framework for network-based audio streaming and communication. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly handle malformed network packets, specifically empty UDP packets that are commonly encountered in network communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a fundamental flaw in the RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) module's packet reception logic. When the pa_rtp_recv function processes incoming UDP packets, it does not adequately validate packet contents before attempting to process them. An attacker can craft and send an empty UDP packet to the affected PulseAudio service, causing the system to encounter an assertion failure that ultimately results in the application aborting its execution. This behavior manifests as a complete denial of service condition where legitimate audio services become unavailable, disrupting audio streaming capabilities and potentially affecting system stability in environments where PulseAudio is integral to audio processing workflows.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to systems utilizing PulseAudio for network audio services, particularly in enterprise environments where audio streaming is critical for communication applications. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness from outside the local network, potentially affecting servers, workstations, or networked audio devices. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the assertion failure and subsequent abort can lead to cascading effects in audio-dependent applications, potentially causing system instability or requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input sanitization can lead to system crashes and denial of service conditions.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust error handling and input validation in network services, particularly those handling real-time protocols. Security practitioners should consider implementing network-level protections such as packet filtering rules that can identify and block malformed UDP traffic targeting PulseAudio services. Additionally, system administrators should prioritize updating to PulseAudio versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability, as the issue represents a fundamental flaw in the module's packet processing logic. Organizations relying on network audio services should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual patterns of service disruptions or application aborts that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service, underscores the need for comprehensive network security controls and the importance of maintaining up-to-date audio processing frameworks to prevent exploitation of such fundamental protocol handling flaws.