CVE-2016-10171 in Wavpack
Summary
by MITRE
The unreorder_channels function in cli/wvunpack.c in Wavpack before 5.1.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via a crafted WV file.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10171 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the Wavpack audio processing library, specifically within the unreorder_channels function located in cli/wvunpack.c. This issue affects Wavpack versions prior to 5.1.0 and exposes systems to potential denial of service attacks through carefully crafted malicious WV files. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and bounds checking within the audio file parsing routine that handles channel reordering operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the unreorder_channels function processes audio data from malformed WV files without proper validation of channel count parameters. When an attacker supplies a specially constructed WV file containing invalid channel metadata, the function attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This out-of-bounds memory access pattern triggers undefined behavior that can result in application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations. The function's failure to validate input parameters before performing array indexing operations creates a direct pathway for attackers to exploit the memory access violation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that process audio files from untrusted sources, particularly in media processing environments, streaming services, or content management systems. The denial of service impact can disrupt legitimate audio processing workflows, potentially affecting user experience and system availability. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by simply providing a malicious WV file to any application that utilizes the vulnerable Wavpack library, making it a particularly dangerous flaw for automated processing systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through malformed file processing, and demonstrates how audio file parsing can serve as an attack surface for system disruption.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate upgrading to Wavpack version 5.1.0 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and input validation within the unreorder_channels function. System administrators should also implement defensive measures such as file format validation, sandboxed processing environments for audio files, and regular security assessments of audio processing pipelines. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems to untrusted file uploads or network sources. The fix typically involves adding proper parameter validation before memory access operations and implementing robust error handling for malformed audio data. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual application crashes or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.