CVE-2016-9957 in game-music-emu
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in game-music-emu before 0.6.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9957 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the game-music-emu library version 0.6.0 and earlier. This library serves as a crucial component for emulating various video game music formats across multiple platforms and applications. The buffer overflow occurs when processing specially crafted music files that exploit memory handling inconsistencies in the library's implementation. The flaw manifests during the parsing of audio data structures where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to write beyond allocated memory boundaries on the stack. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checking permits writes beyond the allocated buffer space. The attack vector typically involves maliciously formatted music files that are processed by applications utilizing the vulnerable library, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the affected application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the game-music-emu library's music file parsing routines. When the library encounters certain malformed or specially constructed audio data, it fails to properly validate the size of incoming data structures before copying them into fixed-size stack buffers. This lack of proper bounds checking creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can craft input data that exceeds the allocated buffer capacity, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. The overflow can corrupt return addresses, stack canaries, or other critical program state information, potentially enabling attackers to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects applications that rely on the library for audio processing, including game emulators, music players, and multimedia applications that support various video game music formats such as NSF, NSFE, and other chiptune formats.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9957 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential remote code execution capabilities. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable applications, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack requires the target application to process maliciously crafted music files, which can occur through various means including malicious websites, email attachments, or file sharing platforms. Security researchers have mapped this vulnerability to the attack technique T1203 in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which covers the exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain code execution. The vulnerability affects a wide range of applications across different operating systems including windows, linux, and macos, making it particularly dangerous in multi-platform environments. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that many applications that use this library are widely distributed and frequently accessed by end users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9957 primarily focus on updating to the patched version 0.6.1 or later of the game-music-emu library. System administrators should prioritize patching affected applications that utilize this library, particularly those handling user-provided audio content. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation controls at application boundaries, using memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization, and employing sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Organizations should also consider network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to deliver malicious music files targeting this vulnerability. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in multimedia libraries and applications. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file processing patterns and attempts to access vulnerable software components. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify other potential buffer overflow conditions in similar multimedia processing libraries, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar threats in the broader software ecosystem.