CVE-2017-5841 in GStreamer
Summary
by MITRE
The gst_avi_demux_parse_ncdt function in gst/avi/gstavidemux.c in gst-plugins-good in GStreamer before 1.10.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds heap read) via vectors involving ncdt tags.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5841 represents a critical out-of-bounds heap read flaw within the GStreamer media framework's avi demuxer component. This issue specifically affects the gst_avi_demux_parse_ncdt function located in the gst/avi/gstavidemux.c file within the gst-plugins-good module. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation when processing ncdt tags in avi container files, creating a scenario where remote attackers can craft malicious media files that trigger memory access violations. The flaw manifests when the function attempts to parse ncdt metadata without proper bounds checking, leading to heap memory reads beyond allocated buffer boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted avi files containing malformed ncdt tags that cause the parser to reference memory locations outside the intended buffer space. This out-of-bounds read condition can result in unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or potential information disclosure. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow condition under CWE-125, which is a well-known weakness in software security that allows attackers to read memory contents beyond allocated boundaries. The flaw affects all versions of GStreamer prior to 1.10.3, making it a widespread issue across multiple deployments of the media framework.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that process untrusted media content, particularly those utilizing GStreamer for multimedia handling. The denial of service impact can affect media servers, content delivery networks, and applications that handle avi file processing, potentially leading to service disruption and availability issues. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to cause system instability through carefully constructed avi files that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition during parsing operations. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges beyond the ability to deliver media files to the target system, making it suitable for remote exploitation in web-based scenarios.
The mitigation strategy involves upgrading to GStreamer version 1.10.3 or later where the vulnerability has been patched through proper bounds checking in the affected function. System administrators should prioritize patching affected installations and implement additional security controls such as input validation for media files and sandboxing of media processing components. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and content filtering to prevent unauthorized media file processing. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by enabling adversaries to perform denial of service attacks against systems processing media content. The remediation efforts should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure compatibility with existing media processing workflows while maintaining security posture against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.