CVE-2019-1010004 in SoX
Summary
by MITRE
SoX - Sound eXchange 14.4.2 and earlier is affected by: Out-of-bounds Read. The impact is: Denial of Service. The component is: read_samples function at xa.c:219. The attack vector is: Victim must open specially crafted .xa file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1010004 affects SoX Sound eXchange version 14.4.2 and earlier, representing a critical out-of-bounds read condition that can lead to denial of service exploitation. This flaw exists within the read_samples function located in the xa.c source file at line 219, where the software fails to properly validate input data from specially crafted .xa files. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that occur when software attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The attack requires minimal user interaction as victims must simply open a maliciously constructed .xa file, making this a particularly concerning security flaw given the widespread use of audio processing applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the audio file parsing routine. When SoX processes an .xa file, the read_samples function attempts to read audio sample data without sufficient validation of the file's header information or data structure integrity. This allows an attacker to craft a file that contains malformed data structures which, when processed, cause the application to attempt reading memory beyond the intended buffer limits. The specific location at xa.c:219 indicates that the issue occurs during the sample data extraction phase, where the software's memory management fails to account for potentially malicious input sequences that could cause pointer arithmetic to exceed valid memory boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to system availability and user safety, as it can be exploited through simple file opening actions without requiring any special privileges or complex attack vectors. The denial of service impact means that legitimate users who encounter or attempt to open malicious files will experience application crashes or system instability, potentially disrupting audio processing workflows in professional environments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which describes the use of execution hijacking techniques, as the exploitation results in unauthorized code execution through memory corruption. This type of vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where audio processing applications are used for critical tasks such as broadcast production or professional audio editing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1010004 should prioritize immediate patching of affected SoX versions to 14.4.3 or later, where the out-of-bounds read condition has been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. System administrators should implement file validation procedures that scan for potentially malicious audio files before allowing them to be processed by audio applications. Network security measures including email filtering and web application firewalls should be configured to block or quarantine .xa files from untrusted sources. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening audio files from unknown or untrusted origins, and organizations should establish secure software deployment practices that include regular vulnerability assessments and patch management protocols. The fix implemented in newer versions typically involves adding proper input validation checks and ensuring that all memory access operations within the read_samples function are bounded by legitimate data structure limits.