CVE-2023-45679
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2023-45679 is a double-free vulnerability in stb_vorbis library that occurs when processing malicious Ogg Vorbis files. If exploited, it could lead to arbitrary code execution. Any application using the vulnerable stb_vorbis library to process untrusted audio files is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Any software using stb_vorbis library
📦 What is this software?
Stb Vorbis.c by Nothings
⚠️ 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 (denial of service) or limited code execution depending on memory layout and exploit sophistication.
If Mitigated
Application crash without code execution if memory protections (ASLR, DEP) are effective.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting a malicious Ogg Vorbis file that triggers memory allocation failure. No public exploit code is known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in commit 5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/nothings/stb/commit/5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update stb_vorbis.c to version with commit 5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9 or later. 2. Recompile all applications using the library. 3. Restart affected services.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Ogg Vorbis processing
allTemporarily disable processing of Ogg Vorbis files in applications until patched.
Input validation
allImplement strict file type validation and reject suspicious Ogg Vorbis files.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application sandboxing to limit impact of potential code execution
- Use memory protection mechanisms (ASLR, DEP) and monitor for crashes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if your stb_vorbis.c file contains the vulnerable code at lines 3660-3677 and 4208-4215 from the referenced commit.Check Version:
grep -n "start_decoder\|setup_free" stb_vorbis.c && check git log for commit 5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9Verify Fix Applied:
Verify stb_vorbis.c has been updated to commit 5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when processing audio files
- Memory allocation failures in audio processing
Network Indicators:
- Unusual Ogg Vorbis file uploads to web applications
SIEM Query:
Process crashes with stb_vorbis in stack trace OR audio file processing errors🔗 References
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/blob/5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9/stb_vorbis.c#L3660-L3677
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/blob/5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9/stb_vorbis.c#L4208-L4215
- https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-145_GHSL-2023-151_stb_image_h/
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/blob/5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9/stb_vorbis.c#L3660-L3677
- https://github.com/nothings/stb/blob/5736b15f7ea0ffb08dd38af21067c314d6a3aae9/stb_vorbis.c#L4208-L4215
- https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-145_GHSL-2023-151_stb_image_h/
