CVE-2017-13712 in LAME
Summary
by MITRE
NULL Pointer Dereference in the id3v2AddAudioDuration function in libmp3lame/id3tag.c in LAME 3.99.5 allows attackers to perform Denial of Service by triggering a NULL first argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13712 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the LAME audio encoding library version 3.99.5. This issue specifically affects the id3v2AddAudioDuration function located in the libmp3lame/id3tag.c source file, which is responsible for handling ID3v2 metadata tags during MP3 file processing. The flaw manifests when the function receives a NULL pointer as its first argument, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive during normal operation. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which is classified as a common weakness in software security implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates how improper input validation can lead to system instability and denial of service conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to provide specially crafted input that triggers the NULL pointer dereference condition within the id3v2AddAudioDuration function. When the function attempts to dereference a NULL pointer argument, the program execution terminates abruptly, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects any application or system utilizing the vulnerable LAME library. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes as it can affect media processing pipelines, streaming services, and any software that relies on LAME for audio encoding operations. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which involves network denial of service attacks, particularly through application-level attacks that leverage software bugs to cause system unavailability.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13712 is significant for organizations relying on LAME-based audio processing systems. Any service or application that processes user-uploaded audio files or performs batch encoding operations becomes vulnerable to this denial of service attack. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely through input files that contain malformed ID3v2 metadata, making it particularly dangerous for web applications, media servers, and content management systems. The flaw affects not only individual applications but also entire infrastructure components that depend on LAME for audio conversion tasks, potentially causing cascading failures in media processing workflows. Organizations using vulnerable versions of LAME should consider immediate remediation as the vulnerability provides attackers with a straightforward path to system disruption.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve several approaches that address both immediate protection and long-term security improvements. The most direct solution is updating to LAME version 3.99.6 or later, which contains the patched implementation of the id3v2AddAudioDuration function that properly validates input parameters before dereferencing pointers. System administrators should implement input validation measures that filter or sanitize ID3v2 metadata before processing, particularly when handling user-supplied content. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual file processing patterns and implementing proper error handling in applications using LAME can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper software security practices including input validation, defensive programming techniques, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses in widely-used libraries. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security fixes across their infrastructure.