Heap Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in VLC Media Player
Summary
OSV-2025-616: Heap-buffer-overflow in Open. Affects vlc versions >= f8e9d090fc20452cfddb91df28bf235eb59baff1, < e7396baa09fa844e6ef2efaa91b6ad4cac706fd4. Fixed in e7396baa09fa844e6ef2efaa91b6ad4cac706fd4. How to fix ↓
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Background
VLC Media Player is a widely used open-source multimedia player that supports various audio and video formats. It is known for its versatility, user-friendly interface, and ability to play almost any media file without the need for additional codecs. However, like many software applications, VLC is susceptible to vulnerabilities that can compromise its functionality and security.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as OSV-2025-616 is a heap buffer overflow that occurs during the demuxing process in VLC. This issue arises from improper handling of memory, leading to potential crashes and exploitation. The specific crash state is triggered when the demux_Probe function attempts to read beyond allocated memory, which can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data or application instability. The severity of this vulnerability is classified as medium, indicating a moderate risk to users.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
e7396baa09fa844e6ef2efaa91b6ad4cac706fd4
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can avoid using the specific features that trigger the vulnerability until the patch is applied. This may involve refraining from opening certain media files that could exploit the heap buffer overflow.
Conclusion
The heap buffer overflow vulnerability in VLC Media Player poses a medium risk to users, potentially leading to crashes and unauthorized access. It is crucial to update to the patched version to mitigate these risks. Users can also utilize tools like Vulert to monitor their applications for vulnerabilities effectively.
See every vulnerability recorded for vlc →
FAQ
A heap buffer overflow is a type of vulnerability that occurs when a program writes more data to a buffer located on the heap than it can hold, potentially overwriting adjacent memory.
You can check your VLC version by navigating to Help > About in the VLC menu. If your version falls within the introduced range of the vulnerability, it is affected.
Not addressing this vulnerability may lead to application crashes, data corruption, or exploitation by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to your system.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just a manifest file like package-lock.json.
Detailed information about this vulnerability can be found in the OSS-Fuzz report and the official GitHub repository linked in the vulnerability details.
References
Related vulnerabilities
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