CVE-2017-5838 in GStreamer
Summary
by MITRE
The gst_date_time_new_from_iso8601_string function in gst/gstdatetime.c in GStreamer before 1.10.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds heap read) via a malformed datetime string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5838 resides within the GStreamer multimedia framework, specifically in the gst_date_time_new_from_iso8601_string function located in gst/gstdatetime.c. This flaw represents a critical security issue that affects GStreamer versions prior to 1.10.3, where the function fails to properly validate input parameters when processing ISO8601 formatted datetime strings. The vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds heap read condition that occurs when malformed datetime strings are processed, leading to potential system instability and denial of service scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the datetime parsing routine. When GStreamer attempts to parse an ISO8601 formatted string using the affected function, it does not adequately check the boundaries of the input data before accessing memory locations. This allows attackers to craft malicious datetime strings that contain unexpected byte sequences or malformed structures, causing the application to read memory beyond the allocated heap boundaries. The out-of-bounds read occurs during the parsing process when the function attempts to access specific memory locations without proper bounds checking, potentially leading to information disclosure or system crashes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems that rely on GStreamer for multimedia processing, particularly in server environments where the framework handles user-provided content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted datetime strings to applications using GStreamer, resulting in denial of service conditions that can disrupt legitimate service operations. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption, as the out-of-bounds memory access could potentially reveal sensitive information from adjacent memory locations, though the primary threat remains denial of service. Systems using GStreamer for streaming media, video processing, or audio handling are particularly vulnerable when they process untrusted datetime data from external sources.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected GStreamer installations to version 1.10.3 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through enhanced input validation mechanisms. The fix implemented by the GStreamer development team includes additional boundary checks and proper validation of ISO8601 string formats before memory access operations occur. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls to filter suspicious datetime strings and monitor for unusual patterns in multimedia processing activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of inputs, and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, making it a critical concern for organizations maintaining multimedia processing infrastructure.