Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability in WavPack Package
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2018-10538: An issue was discovered in WavPack 5.1.0 and earlier for WAV input. Affects wavpack versions < 5.1.0-r6. Fixed in 5.1.0-r6. How to fix ↓
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Background
WavPack is an open-source audio compression format that provides lossless, lossy, and hybrid compression. It is widely used for its efficiency and quality in audio storage. However, versions 5.1.0 and earlier are susceptible to a critical vulnerability that can lead to memory allocation issues, potentially compromising system stability and security.
Vulnerability Detail
An issue was discovered in WavPack 5.1.0 and earlier for WAV input. Out-of-bounds writes can occur because the function ParseRiffHeaderConfig in riff.c does not validate the sizes of unknown chunks before attempting memory allocation. This is related to a lack of integer-overflow protection within a bytes_to_copy calculation and subsequent malloc call, leading to insufficient memory allocation. This vulnerability can be exploited to cause application crashes or potentially execute arbitrary code, making it a significant security risk.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
5.1.0-r6
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade wavpackTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If you cannot update the package immediately, consider disabling the use of WAV files in your application until the vulnerability is patched. This can help mitigate the risk of exploitation.
Conclusion
The WavPack package has a critical vulnerability that can lead to out-of-bounds writes due to improper memory allocation. Users are strongly advised to update to the latest patched versions to ensure their systems remain secure. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities effectively.
See every vulnerability recorded for wavpack →
FAQ
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 5.5, indicating a moderate level of severity.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner without any signup.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to application crashes or arbitrary code execution, posing a significant risk to system integrity and security.
Yes, versions 5.1.0-r6 and later for Alpine v3.10, v3.8, and v3.9, and 5.1.0-r2 for Alpine v3.4 to v3.7 are safe to use as they contain the necessary patches.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider disabling the use of WAV files in your application to mitigate the risk until a patch can be applied.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for wavpack.
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