CVE-2017-15046 in LAME
Summary
by MITRE
LAME 3.99.5 has a stack-based buffer overflow, a different vulnerability than CVE-2017-9412.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15046 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow in the LAME (LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder) audio encoding library version 3.99.5. This flaw resides within the mp3 encoder component that processes audio data for conversion to the mp3 format, making it a significant concern for any system utilizing this library for audio processing tasks. The vulnerability manifests during the handling of malformed input data within the encoding pipeline, specifically when processing certain audio frames that trigger improper memory management during buffer allocation and data copying operations.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow stems from inadequate bounds checking within the memory allocation routines used by LAME's mp3 encoding engine. When the encoder encounters specific malformed audio data structures, particularly within the frame header parsing or bitstream processing components, the application fails to validate the size of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size stack buffers. This fundamental flaw allows attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or application crashes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where insufficient bounds checking permits data to overflow into adjacent memory spaces.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to systems that depend on LAME for audio processing, including media servers, audio editing applications, and streaming platforms. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious audio files that, when processed by vulnerable applications, would trigger the buffer overflow condition. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes, as successful exploitation could enable remote code execution, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable software. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in server environments where audio files are processed automatically without proper user validation, as demonstrated by various real-world exploitation scenarios documented in security research reports.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15046 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by the LAME development team. System administrators should prioritize upgrading to LAME versions that have addressed this specific buffer overflow issue, typically those released after the vulnerability disclosure. Additionally, implementing input validation measures at the application level can provide defensive layers against exploitation attempts, ensuring that all audio data processed through LAME libraries undergoes proper sanitization before encoding operations. Network-based mitigations including content filtering and sandboxing techniques can further reduce the attack surface, particularly in environments where processing untrusted audio files is unavoidable. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protections such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to make exploitation attempts more difficult, aligning with established security practices outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's defense evasion techniques that target memory corruption vulnerabilities.