CVE-2023-40474
HIGHCVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3Description
GStreamer MXF File Parsing Integer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GStreamer. Interaction with this library is required to exploit this vulnerability but attack vectors may vary depending on the implementation. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of MXF video files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in an integer overflow before allocating a buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. . Was ZDI-CAN-21660.
Analysis
A critical integer overflow vulnerability in GStreamer's MXF (Material eXchange Format) video file parser allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code when processing specially crafted media files. The vulnerability affects all versions of GStreamer prior to the patched releases and requires user interaction (such as opening a malicious video file) to exploit, with an EPSS score of 6.53% indicating moderate real-world exploitation likelihood. While not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog, the vulnerability has a high CVSS score of 8.8 and patches are available from the vendor.
Technical Context
GStreamer is a widely-used open-source multimedia framework that provides libraries and tools for handling audio and video processing across multiple platforms. The vulnerability specifically affects the MXF demuxer component responsible for parsing Material eXchange Format files, a professional video container format commonly used in broadcast and production environments. The root cause is CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound), where insufficient validation of user-supplied data during MXF file parsing can cause an integer overflow when calculating buffer sizes, potentially leading to heap corruption and subsequent code execution in the context of the application using GStreamer.
Affected Products
All versions of GStreamer prior to the security patches released in September 2023 are affected by this vulnerability, as indicated by the CPE identifier cpe:2.3:a:gstreamer:gstreamer:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*. The vulnerability was originally tracked as ZDI-CAN-21660 by Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative before public disclosure. GStreamer is integrated into numerous applications and platforms including web browsers, media players, video editing software, and streaming services, making the impact potentially widespread across different software ecosystems.
Remediation
Apply the vendor patches immediately by upgrading to GStreamer versions that include the fixes detailed in security advisory SA-2023-0006 available at https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/security/sa-2023-0006.html. For Debian-based systems, refer to the security update at https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/10/msg00038.html for distribution-specific patches. Until patching is complete, consider implementing input validation for MXF files, restricting processing of untrusted media content, or isolating media processing operations in sandboxed environments to limit potential damage from exploitation.
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