CVE-2018-19840 in Wavpack
Summary
by MITRE
The function WavpackPackInit in pack_utils.c in libwavpack.a in WavPack through 5.1.0 allows attackers to cause a denial-of-service (resource exhaustion caused by an infinite loop) via a crafted wav audio file because WavpackSetConfiguration64 mishandles a sample rate of zero.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19840 represents a critical denial-of-service weakness within the WavPack audio compression library version 5.1.0 and earlier. This flaw exists in the WavpackPackInit function located within the pack_utils.c module of the libwavpack.a library, which is widely used for audio file processing and compression. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing maliciously crafted wav audio files that contain manipulated sample rate parameters, creating a condition where the library enters an infinite loop during the configuration phase of audio processing.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the WavpackSetConfiguration64 function, which fails to properly handle edge cases involving a sample rate value of zero. When a crafted audio file with a zero sample rate is processed, the configuration function does not adequately validate this invalid parameter, allowing the system to proceed with malformed data processing. This leads to an infinite loop scenario where the processing routine continuously iterates without proper termination conditions, consuming system resources indefinitely. The flaw operates at the core of the audio processing pipeline, affecting how the library initializes and configures its internal parameters before actual audio data compression occurs.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that rely on WavPack for audio processing, particularly in environments where untrusted audio files are processed automatically. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious wav files with zero sample rates, causing legitimate applications using the WavPack library to consume excessive CPU cycles and memory resources until the system becomes unresponsive or crashes. The infinite loop condition can be triggered in any application that processes wav files through the affected library, including media players, audio editing software, and content management systems that handle audio file conversions. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in automated processing environments where batch file handling occurs without manual intervention.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-835, which specifically addresses infinite loops or iterations without proper termination conditions, and demonstrates a classic example of improper input validation that leads to resource exhaustion. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to resource exhaustion and T1203 technique for exploitation of system resources, as it allows attackers to consume computational resources through malformed input processing. The impact severity is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability can be triggered remotely through any application that processes wav files using the affected library, making it a prime target for denial-of-service attacks in networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of the WavPack library to version 5.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper sample rate validation. System administrators should also implement input validation measures at the application level, including checking for valid sample rate ranges before processing wav files through the library. Additionally, implementing resource limits and timeout mechanisms for audio processing operations can help prevent complete system exhaustion. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of robust input validation and proper error handling in multimedia processing libraries, particularly those handling user-supplied content in security-sensitive applications. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their audio processing pipelines to identify and remediate similar issues that could lead to resource exhaustion or system instability.