CVE-2024-30278 in Media Encoder
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
Media Encoder versions 23.6.5, 24.3 and earlier Answer: are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass mitigations such as ASLR. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-30278 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Media Encoder software versions 23.6.5, 24.3, and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can occur when a program attempts to access memory beyond the allocated boundaries of an array or buffer. The flaw manifests in the media processing pipeline where the application fails to properly validate input data boundaries during file parsing operations, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized memory access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Media Encoder processes maliciously crafted media files that contain specially constructed data structures designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. When a victim opens such a file, the application's parsing routine attempts to read memory locations that extend beyond the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. This memory disclosure can include stack canaries, return addresses, heap metadata, or other critical system information that would normally remain protected from direct access by user-space applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can significantly undermine modern exploit mitigation techniques such as Address Space Layout Randomization. ASLR relies on the unpredictability of memory layout to prevent attackers from reliably jumping to specific code locations, but this vulnerability can expose memory addresses through the out-of-bounds read, effectively bypassing these protections. The exploitation requires user interaction through the opening of a malicious file, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute code or gain information through user interaction.
Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting media files that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition, potentially extracting memory addresses that reveal the layout of the application's memory space or system libraries. This information can then be used to bypass other security mechanisms such as stack canaries, non-executable stack protections, or heap-based mitigations. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of how seemingly benign input validation flaws can create significant security implications when combined with modern exploit techniques.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of vendor patches or updates to Media Encoder versions that address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include both automated patch deployment and user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted media files. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through suspicious file opening activities, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted media content. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and boundary checking in multimedia processing applications, where malformed input can lead to serious security consequences that extend beyond simple application crashes or data corruption.