CVE-2017-8310 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2017-8310 affecting VideoLAN VLC 2.2.x. Understand the heap out-of-bound read vulnerability, its impact, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps.
VideoLAN VLC 2.2.x contains a heap out-of-bound read vulnerability due to missing string termination checks, allowing attackers to access data beyond allocated memory.
Understanding CVE-2017-8310
The vulnerability in VideoLAN VLC 2.2.x can lead to a denial of service if exploited by a crafted subtitles file.
What is CVE-2017-8310?
The CreateHtmlSubtitle function in VideoLAN VLC 2.2.x has a heap out-of-bound read vulnerability, enabling attackers to read data beyond allocated memory.
The Impact of CVE-2017-8310
- Attackers can potentially crash the process, causing denial of service by exploiting a crafted subtitles file.
Technical Details of CVE-2017-8310
VideoLAN VLC 2.2.x is susceptible to a heap out-of-bound read vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
- The vulnerability arises from the absence of a check for string termination, allowing unauthorized access to memory beyond the allocated buffer.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: VLC
- Vendor: VideoLAN
- Versions Affected: 2.2.*
Exploitation Mechanism
- Attackers can exploit a crafted subtitles file to trigger the vulnerability, potentially leading to a process crash and denial of service.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take:
- Update VLC to the latest version to patch the vulnerability.
- Avoid opening suspicious or untrusted subtitles files.
Long-Term Security Practices:
- Regularly update software and apply security patches.
- Implement proper input validation mechanisms to prevent buffer overflows.
- Conduct security audits and code reviews to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- VideoLAN has released patches to address the heap out-of-bound read vulnerability in VLC 2.2.x.