CVE-2018-10540 : What You Need to Know

A problem has been identified in versions of WavPack prior to 5.1.0 when dealing with W64 input. The issue arises due to inadequate memory allocation, leading to out-of-bounds writes. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2018-10540.

Understanding CVE-2018-10540

This CVE relates to a specific vulnerability found in WavPack versions before 5.1.0 when processing W64 input files.

What is CVE-2018-10540?

CVE-2018-10540 is a vulnerability in WavPack versions prior to 5.1.0 that arises from improper memory allocation, resulting in out-of-bounds writes due to a lack of integer overflow protection.

The Impact of CVE-2018-10540

The vulnerability can be exploited to trigger out-of-bounds writes, potentially leading to a denial of service or arbitrary code execution.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-10540

This section provides more in-depth technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue stems from the ParseWave64HeaderConfig function in wave64.c not properly validating unknown chunk sizes before allocating memory, leading to insufficient memory allocation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: WavPack
Vendor: N/A
Versions affected: All versions prior to 5.1.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by crafting a malicious W64 input file to trigger the inadequate memory allocation and subsequent out-of-bounds writes.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-10540, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update WavPack to version 5.1.0 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid opening untrusted W64 files to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent memory-related vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by the vendor to fix the vulnerability.