CVE-2018-14589 in Bento4
Summary
by MITRE
An issue has been discovered in Bento4 1.5.1-624. AP4_Mp4AudioDsiParser::ReadBits in Codecs/Ap4Mp4AudioInfo.cpp has a heap-based buffer over-read.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14589 resides within the Bento4 multimedia framework version 1.5.1-624, specifically within the AP4_Mp4AudioDsiParser::ReadBits function located in the Codecs/Ap4Mp4AudioInfo.cpp source file. This heap-based buffer over-read represents a critical security flaw that can potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause application crashes when processing malformed audio data. The issue manifests during the parsing of MPEG-4 audio data streams where the application fails to properly validate buffer boundaries before reading data from memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the audio data stream parser component of Bento4. When the AP4_Mp4AudioDsiParser attempts to read bits from a data stream using the ReadBits function, it does not adequately check whether the requested bit operations would exceed the allocated buffer boundaries. This flaw allows an attacker to craft specially crafted audio files that, when processed by the vulnerable application, cause the parser to read beyond the intended memory buffer, potentially accessing adjacent memory locations containing sensitive data or executable code. The vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across various applications that utilize Bento4 for multimedia processing, including but not limited to media servers, content delivery networks, and multimedia applications that handle MPEG-4 audio streams. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by delivering maliciously crafted audio files that trigger the buffer over-read condition during normal playback or processing operations. The consequences may include denial of service through application crashes, potential information disclosure through memory access violations, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution depending on the memory layout and exploitation conditions. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where Bento4 is used as a backend component for processing user-uploaded content or streaming media.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14589 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Bento4 installations to version 1.5.1-625 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer over-read condition. Organizations should also implement input validation measures that restrict the processing of untrusted audio files and consider deploying network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems. Additionally, application-level protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries can help mitigate exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should monitor for similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other multimedia processing libraries. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which involves legitimate programs being used for code execution, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access through compromised applications.