CVE-2020-29245 in Tag
Summary
by MITRE • 12/28/2020
dhowden tag before 2020-11-19 allows "panic: runtime error: slice bounds out of range" via readAtomData.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2020
The vulnerability in dhowden tag before version 2020-11-19 represents a critical runtime error that manifests as a slice bounds out of range panic during the readAtomData operation. This flaw occurs when the software attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated slice boundaries, typically triggered by malformed or maliciously crafted input data. The issue stems from inadequate bounds checking within the atom data reading functionality, which processes multimedia metadata structures in tag files. Such vulnerabilities fall under CWE-129, representing improper validation of array indices, and can be classified as a type of buffer overread condition that leads to application instability and potential denial of service scenarios.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft specific input that causes the readAtomData function to attempt accessing slice elements beyond the actual data boundaries. When processing malformed tag files or atom structures, the parser fails to properly validate the length parameters before performing array indexing operations. This runtime error typically occurs during the parsing phase when the software encounters unexpected data formats or corrupted metadata within audio or video file tags. The panic condition causes the application to terminate abruptly, resulting in a denial of service for legitimate users attempting to process valid media files.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability impacts any system utilizing dhowden tag library for media file processing, particularly affecting applications that handle large volumes of multimedia content or those deployed in automated processing environments. The panic condition can be exploited by attackers to cause service disruption through controlled input manipulation, potentially leading to cascading failures in systems where tag parsing is a critical component of content ingestion workflows. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to perform denial of service attacks against web applications, media servers, or content management systems that rely on proper tag parsing functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include updating to version 2020-11-19 or later, which contains proper bounds checking mechanisms and input validation routines. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization processes before processing any external tag data, including length validation and boundary checks for all array access operations. The fix typically involves adding defensive programming practices such as validating slice indices against actual data lengths before accessing memory locations, implementing proper error handling for malformed inputs, and conducting thorough testing with fuzzing tools to identify similar boundary condition vulnerabilities. This remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and addresses CWE-129 through proper input validation and bounds checking implementations.