CVE-2019-13217
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2019-13217 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in stb_vorbis audio decoder library that allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a malicious Ogg Vorbis audio file. This affects any application that uses the vulnerable stb_vorbis library for audio processing. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in applications that process untrusted audio files.
💻 Affected Systems
- stb_vorbis library
- Applications using stb_vorbis for Ogg Vorbis decoding
📦 What is this software?
Stb Vorbis by Stb Vorbis Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with the privileges of the application processing the audio file, potentially leading to full system compromise.
Likely Case
Application crash or denial of service when processing malicious audio files, with potential for limited code execution in some scenarios.
If Mitigated
Application crash with no code execution if modern exploit mitigations (ASLR, DEP) are effective.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious file, but the vulnerability is in a widely-used library with public proof-of-concept available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in commit 98fdfc6df88b1e34a736d5e126e6c8139c8de1a6 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/nothings/stb/commit/98fdfc6df88b1e34a736d5e126e6c8139c8de1a6
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update stb_vorbis.c to version after 2019-03-04. 2. Recompile all applications using the library. 3. Restart affected applications.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Ogg Vorbis file processing
allRemove or disable stb_vorbis functionality in applications that don't require Ogg Vorbis support.
# Recompile application with stb_vorbis disabled or removed from build
Input validation and sandboxing
allImplement strict file validation and run audio processing in sandboxed/isolated environments.
# Use application sandboxing tools appropriate for your platform
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file upload restrictions and validation for audio files
- Run applications with minimal privileges and enable all available exploit mitigations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if application uses stb_vorbis.c dated before 2019-03-05 or version before commit 98fdfc6Check Version:
grep -n "stb_vorbis_version" stb_vorbis.c || check file modification dateVerify Fix Applied:
Verify stb_vorbis.c includes the fix from commit 98fdfc6df88b1e34a736d5e126e6c8139c8de1a6📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when processing audio files
- Memory access violation errors in logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual audio file uploads to web applications
- Suspicious audio file downloads
SIEM Query:
source="application.log" AND ("segmentation fault" OR "access violation" OR "heap corruption") AND "audio" OR "ogg"🔗 References
- http://nothings.org/stb_vorbis/
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/commit/98fdfc6df88b1e34a736d5e126e6c8139c8de1a6
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/commits/master/stb_vorbis.c
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/01/msg00045.html
- http://nothings.org/stb_vorbis/
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/commit/98fdfc6df88b1e34a736d5e126e6c8139c8de1a6
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/commits/master/stb_vorbis.c
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/01/msg00045.html
