CVE-2024-47537: GStreamer Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47537 Overview

CVE-2024-47537 is an integer overflow vulnerability in GStreamer, a widely-used open-source multimedia framework for constructing graphs of media-handling components. The vulnerability exists in the QtDemux component where the program attempts to reallocate memory for stream->samples to accommodate additional elements. When processing a maliciously crafted media file, an attacker can trigger an integer overflow during memory allocation calculations, ultimately leading to an out-of-bounds write condition.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability allows local attackers to potentially achieve arbitrary code execution or cause denial of service by providing a specially crafted media file that triggers an integer overflow, resulting in heap memory corruption through out-of-bounds write operations.

Affected Products

• GStreamer versions prior to 1.24.10
• Linux distributions and applications utilizing vulnerable GStreamer libraries
• Media applications and frameworks built on GStreamer

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-12 - CVE-2024-47537 published to NVD
• 2025-11-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47537

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the QtDemux (QuickTime Demuxer) component of GStreamer, which handles parsing and demultiplexing of QuickTime/MP4 media containers. The core issue stems from improper handling of integer arithmetic when calculating memory allocation sizes based on untrusted input values read from media files.

When processing a media file, the demuxer reads samples_count directly from the input file and uses this value to calculate the new size for reallocating the stream->samples array. The calculation stream->n_samples + samples_count is performed without proper overflow checking. If an attacker provides a sufficiently large samples_count value, this addition operation overflows, wrapping around to a much smaller value.

The g_try_renew function then allocates memory for this incorrect (smaller) number of elements. Subsequently, the code iterates through the original samples_count elements, writing data beyond the bounds of the allocated buffer. This out-of-bounds write can corrupt adjacent heap memory, potentially allowing an attacker to gain control of program execution or crash the application.

Root Cause

The root cause is an integer overflow vulnerability (CWE-190) in the memory reallocation logic. The code fails to validate that the sum of stream->n_samples and samples_count does not exceed the maximum value representable by the integer type used for the calculation. This missing bounds check allows untrusted input to influence memory allocation in a dangerous way, creating a classic integer overflow to heap buffer overflow exploitation chain.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access where a victim must open a maliciously crafted media file. The attacker constructs a QuickTime/MP4 file with a manipulated samples_count field containing a large integer value designed to trigger the overflow condition.

When a GStreamer-based application attempts to parse this file, the integer overflow occurs during memory allocation, followed by the out-of-bounds write during the sample data processing loop. Since GStreamer is used by numerous media players and multimedia applications across Linux desktop environments, the attack surface is significant for systems processing untrusted media content.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47537

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes in GStreamer-based applications when processing media files
• Memory corruption errors or segmentation faults in applications using qtdemux component
• Suspicious media files with abnormally large sample count values in QuickTime containers
• Core dumps indicating heap corruption in GStreamer library space

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for abnormal process terminations in media applications linked against GStreamer
• Implement file integrity monitoring for GStreamer library files to detect tampering
• Use memory sanitizers (ASAN/MSAN) in development environments to catch OOB writes
• Deploy application-level sandboxing for media processing workflows

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable crash reporting and analysis for multimedia applications in production environments
• Monitor system logs for repeated GStreamer-related segmentation faults or memory errors
• Implement behavioral analysis for processes handling media files from untrusted sources
• Consider network-level monitoring for distribution of malicious media files

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47537

Immediate Actions Required

• Update GStreamer to version 1.24.10 or later immediately
• Restrict processing of media files from untrusted sources until patched
• Enable application sandboxing for media applications where available
• Review and update any containerized or bundled GStreamer installations

Patch Information

The GStreamer project has released version 1.24.10 which addresses this vulnerability. The fix implements proper overflow checking before the memory reallocation operation to ensure that the calculated size does not wrap around to an unsafe value. Detailed patch information is available through the GitLab Merge Request. Additional security advisory details can be found in GStreamer Security Advisory 2024-0005 and the GitHub Security Advisory GHSL-2024-094. Debian users should refer to the Debian LTS Announcement for distribution-specific guidance.

Workarounds

• Avoid processing media files from untrusted or unknown sources until the patch is applied
• Implement application-level sandboxing using tools like Flatpak, AppArmor, or SELinux
• Use alternative media processing libraries for critical workflows if immediate patching is not possible
• Deploy network-level filtering to block suspicious media file downloads where feasible

# Update GStreamer on Debian/Ubuntu systems
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade gstreamer1.0-plugins-good

# Verify GStreamer version after update
gst-inspect-1.0 --version

# For systems using Flatpak, update GStreamer runtime
flatpak update org.freedesktop.Platform