CVE-2014-9638 in vorbis-tools
Summary
by MITRE
oggenc in vorbis-tools 1.4.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (divide-by-zero error and crash) via a WAV file with the number of channels set to zero.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9638 affects the oggenc utility within the vorbis-tools package version 1.4.0, presenting a critical denial of service risk that can be exploited remotely. This flaw specifically targets the handling of audio file formats during the conversion process from wav to ogg format, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted input files can trigger system instability and service disruption. The vulnerability resides in the software's failure to properly validate input parameters before processing audio data, particularly when encountering malformed wav files with invalid channel configurations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from a divide-by-zero error that occurs when the oggenc utility attempts to process a wav file where the number of channels is set to zero. This condition creates a mathematical impossibility during the audio encoding calculations, as the system attempts to perform division operations with zero as the denominator. The flaw represents a classic implementation error that lacks proper input validation and error handling mechanisms, allowing the program to proceed with invalid data processing rather than gracefully rejecting malformed input. This type of error falls under the CWE-369 vulnerability category, specifically addressing divide-by-zero conditions in software implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to systematically crash the target system or service that utilizes the vulnerable oggenc utility. When a malicious user uploads or processes a wav file with zero channels, the application encounters the divide-by-zero condition and terminates abruptly, leading to a denial of service condition that can affect legitimate users and system availability. This vulnerability particularly affects multimedia processing systems, content management platforms, and any application that relies on vorbis-tools for audio format conversion, making it a significant concern for organizations maintaining audio processing infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9638 should focus on immediate patching of the vorbis-tools package to version 1.4.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent the divide-by-zero error. Organizations should also implement input validation measures that reject wav files with invalid channel configurations before they reach the oggenc utility, utilizing file format checking mechanisms that can identify malformed audio files. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network-level filtering to prevent unauthorized file uploads and processing of audio content, while also monitoring for unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which addresses network denial of service attacks through application-level vulnerabilities, and represents a common vector for service disruption in multimedia processing environments.