CVE-2017-14408 in MP3Gain
Summary
by MITRE
A stack-based buffer over-read was discovered in dct36 in layer3.c in mpglibDBL, as used in MP3Gain version 1.5.2. The vulnerability causes an application crash, which leads to remote denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14408 represents a critical stack-based buffer over-read condition within the mpglibDBL library, specifically affecting the dct36 function in layer3.c. This flaw exists in MP3Gain version 1.5.2 and demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that can be exploited to cause arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during audio frame processing, where the dct36 function fails to validate input data lengths before performing operations that require specific buffer allocations. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it occurs during the decoding process of mp3 audio files, making it accessible through normal media playback operations. When maliciously crafted mp3 files are processed by the vulnerable application, the buffer over-read condition triggers undefined behavior that results in memory corruption and subsequent application termination. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is categorized under the broader class of buffer overflow conditions that occur when data is written beyond the boundaries of a fixed-length buffer allocated on the stack. The attack surface is significant as it affects any application utilizing the mpglibDBL library for mp3 decoding operations, including media players, audio processing tools, and audio analysis software. The remote denial of service aspect of this vulnerability means that an attacker could potentially deliver a malicious mp3 file through network-based attacks or social engineering tactics, causing legitimate users' applications to crash and become unavailable. The operational impact extends beyond simple service disruption as this vulnerability can be leveraged in broader attack chains, potentially leading to privilege escalation or information disclosure depending on the execution environment. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution and T1499 Endpoint Denial of Service, as it enables an attacker to cause remote system instability through crafted input. The vulnerability exists at the intersection of audio processing and memory safety, where the expectation that audio data will conform to standard mp3 specifications is violated by maliciously constructed data that exceeds buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in media processing applications where users often encounter untrusted content from unknown sources. The root cause lies in the lack of proper input validation and bounds checking within the dct36 function, which processes the discrete cosine transform for mp3 audio data. The function assumes that input parameters will always be within expected ranges, failing to account for malformed or malicious data that could cause the stack pointer to be manipulated beyond safe memory limits. This flaw demonstrates the importance of defensive programming practices and proper memory management in audio processing libraries that handle user-supplied data. The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal privileges and can be automated through web-based delivery mechanisms, making it particularly attractive to attackers seeking to disrupt services or establish persistent access through application crashes. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the mpglibDBL library to version 1.5.3 or later, which contains the necessary bounds checking fixes. Additionally, input validation should be implemented at the application level to sanitize mp3 file contents before processing, and runtime protections such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization should be enabled to reduce exploitability. Network-level filtering of mp3 content and sandboxing of media processing operations can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts.