CVE-2018-11224 in libav
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Libav 12.3. A read access violation in the in_table_init16 function in libavcodec/aacsbr.c allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash), as demonstrated by avconv.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11224 represents a critical read access violation within the Libav multimedia framework version 12.3. This flaw exists specifically within the in_table_init16 function located in the libavcodec/aacsbr.c file, which is part of the Advanced Audio Coding Spatial Band Replication decoding component. The issue manifests when processing specially crafted audio streams that trigger improper memory access patterns during the initialization phase of the AAC SBR decoding process.
This vulnerability operates through a classic buffer over-read condition where the in_table_init16 function fails to properly validate input parameters before accessing memory locations. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious audio files that, when processed by applications using Libav such as avconv, cause the application to attempt reading from unauthorized memory addresses. The memory access violation results in an application crash and subsequent denial of service condition, effectively rendering the affected system or application unavailable to legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it demonstrates the potential for remote code execution through carefully crafted input streams. When exploited, the vulnerability can be leveraged by attackers to crash multimedia applications that rely on Libav for audio processing, potentially leading to system instability or complete application failure. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Libav is widely used in various multimedia applications, streaming platforms, and content processing systems, making this vulnerability applicable across multiple operational domains.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes "Out-of-bounds Read" conditions where programs access memory locations outside the bounds of allocated buffers. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through software exploitation, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code within legitimate applications. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations that process audio content from untrusted sources, as attackers can exploit this flaw to disrupt services without requiring elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11224 include immediate patching of affected Libav installations to version 12.4 or later, where the memory access violation has been corrected through proper input validation and bounds checking. Organizations should implement input sanitization measures that validate audio stream parameters before processing, particularly focusing on AAC SBR content that triggers the vulnerable function. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual application crash patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of multimedia processing pipelines are essential to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components of the software stack.