CVE-2017-6830 in audiofile
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the alaw2linear_buf function in G711.cpp in Audio File Library (aka audiofile) 0.3.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6830 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within the Audio File Library version 0.3.6, specifically within the alaw2linear_buf function located in G711.cpp. This flaw exists in the handling of audio data processing and creates a significant security risk for systems that utilize this library for audio file manipulation. The vulnerability manifests when the library processes crafted audio files that exploit improper bounds checking during the conversion of a-law encoded audio data to linear PCM format.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the audio processing pipeline. When the alaw2linear_buf function encounters malformed input data, it fails to properly verify buffer boundaries before performing memory operations, leading to a heap overflow condition. This condition occurs because the function does not adequately validate the size of incoming a-law encoded data against the allocated buffer space, allowing maliciously crafted audio files to overwrite adjacent memory regions. The flaw is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, though in this specific case it manifests as a heap-based variant due to the dynamic memory allocation patterns used by the audio library. The vulnerability's exploitation results in a crash of the affected application due to memory corruption, making it a reliable denial of service vector.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to multimedia applications that depend on the audiofile library for processing audio content. Attackers can remotely trigger the vulnerability by preparing specially crafted audio files that, when processed by vulnerable applications, cause immediate application termination. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the crash can potentially be exploited in more sophisticated attacks if the application continues to execute code in memory after the initial overflow. The vulnerability affects a wide range of applications including media players, audio processing tools, and any software that incorporates the audiofile library for audio file handling. The remote nature of the attack means that systems can be compromised without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where audio files may be processed automatically.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6830 should focus on immediate patching of the audiofile library to version 0.3.7 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement input validation measures that sanitize audio file inputs before processing, particularly for files received from untrusted sources. The implementation of address space layout randomization and stack canaries can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal application crashes and memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. In environments where patching is not immediately possible, input filtering and sandboxing of audio processing operations can help reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in multimedia libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution and T1499 for network denial of service, highlighting the need for comprehensive security measures in audio processing systems.