CVE-2016-9959 in game-music-emu
Summary
by MITRE
game-music-emu before 0.6.1 allows remote attackers to generate out of bounds 8-bit values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9959 affects the game-music-emu library version 0.6.1 and earlier, representing a critical issue in audio processing software used for emulating video game music formats. This library serves as a fundamental component in various multimedia applications, gaming platforms, and retro gaming emulators that require accurate reproduction of classic video game soundtracks. The flaw manifests in the library's handling of 8-bit audio sample generation processes, where improper boundary checks allow attackers to manipulate input data in ways that produce invalid audio output values. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in multimedia applications as they can lead to unexpected behavior in audio rendering systems, potentially affecting the stability and security of entire applications that depend on this library.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the audio processing pipeline of the game-music-emu library. When processing certain input data streams, the library fails to properly constrain 8-bit value generation, allowing attackers to craft malicious input that forces the system to produce audio samples outside the expected 8-bit range of -128 to 127. This out-of-bounds condition occurs during the conversion of audio data from higher precision formats to 8-bit representations, where overflow or underflow conditions can be triggered by carefully constructed input parameters. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer overflow condition in the context of audio processing, and aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of the length of input data, and CWE-191, which covers integer underflow conditions. The flaw represents a classic example of improper input validation that can be exploited through crafted malicious audio data.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9959 extends beyond simple audio corruption, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors within affected applications. When applications process audio content through vulnerable versions of game-music-emu, attackers can manipulate the audio rendering pipeline to cause unexpected behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or even potential code execution in certain scenarios. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for applications that handle untrusted audio data, such as web browsers, media players, or gaming emulators that accept user-uploaded audio files. In a broader context, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves the use of audio and video processing components for system manipulation, and demonstrates how multimedia libraries can serve as attack surfaces in modern software ecosystems. The impact is amplified when considering that many applications integrate multiple multimedia components, creating cascading effects that can compromise entire software platforms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9959 require immediate updates to the game-music-emu library to version 0.6.1 or later, where the boundary checking mechanisms have been properly implemented. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory checks to identify all applications and services that utilize this library, particularly those handling untrusted audio input. Additional protective measures include implementing input sanitization at application level, deploying network monitoring to detect anomalous audio data processing patterns, and establishing secure coding practices that emphasize proper boundary validation in audio processing pipelines. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques for multimedia applications to limit the potential impact of exploitation. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating audio and multimedia data processing components, as these systems often operate with elevated privileges and can provide attack vectors for more complex exploitation techniques. Regular security assessments and dependency updates are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising multimedia applications in the future.