CVE-2024-47539: GStreamer Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47539 Overview

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability has been discovered in GStreamer, a widely-used open-source multimedia framework for constructing graphs of media-handling components. The vulnerability exists in the convert_to_s334_1a function within isomp4/qtdemux.c, where a boundary calculation error allows attackers to write up to 3 bytes beyond the allocated memory bounds of the storage array. This memory corruption flaw could potentially lead to code execution or system compromise when processing maliciously crafted media files.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can exploit this out-of-bounds write to corrupt memory, potentially achieving code execution by processing specially crafted multimedia files through GStreamer-based applications.

Affected Products

• GStreamer versions prior to 1.24.10
• Applications and media players utilizing vulnerable GStreamer libraries
• Linux distributions shipping affected GStreamer packages

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-12 - CVE CVE-2024-47539 published to NVD
• 2026-03-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47539

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) arising from improper bounds checking during memory operations. The flaw occurs in the MP4/QuickTime demuxer component responsible for parsing closed caption data within media containers.

The root cause stems from a size calculation discrepancy when allocating the storage array versus the loop iteration bounds that write to it. When ccpair_size is an even number, the allocated memory size does not properly account for all iterations of the processing loop, resulting in write operations that exceed the buffer boundary by up to 3 bytes.

This type of memory corruption vulnerability in multimedia processing code is particularly concerning because media files are commonly received from untrusted sources, and the parsing occurs automatically when opening files in media players or other GStreamer-based applications.

Root Cause

The vulnerability originates from a mathematical error in the convert_to_s334_1a function. The memory allocation for the storage array uses a calculation that doesn't properly account for the relationship between ccpair_size and the loop condition i * 2 < ccpair_size. When ccpair_size is even, the loop executes one additional iteration beyond what the allocated buffer can safely accommodate, resulting in heap memory corruption.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access where an attacker provides a maliciously crafted media file (such as MP4 or QuickTime format) to a victim system. When the file is processed by any application utilizing GStreamer's MP4 demuxer, the vulnerable code path is triggered during closed caption data conversion. The out-of-bounds write corrupts adjacent heap memory, which could potentially be leveraged for further exploitation depending on heap layout and memory allocation patterns.

The attack does not require user authentication and involves low complexity, as the victim simply needs to open or process the malicious media file. Applications that automatically process media files (such as thumbnail generators or media indexers) are at heightened risk.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47539

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or segmentation faults in GStreamer-based applications when processing MP4/QuickTime files
• Memory corruption errors or heap corruption warnings in application logs
• Unusual behavior in media players or multimedia processing applications after opening untrusted media files
• AddressSanitizer (ASan) reports indicating heap-buffer-overflow in convert_to_s334_1a function

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for GStreamer library versions prior to 1.24.10 across your infrastructure using software inventory tools
• Implement file integrity monitoring on GStreamer library files to detect unauthorized modifications
• Deploy memory safety tools (ASan, Valgrind) in testing environments to detect exploitation attempts
• Use endpoint detection solutions to monitor for anomalous behavior in media processing applications

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable crash reporting and memory error logging for applications utilizing GStreamer libraries
• Implement application allowlisting to prevent execution of untrusted media processing tools
• Monitor process creation and file access patterns for GStreamer-based applications processing files from untrusted sources
• Review system logs for repeated crashes in multimedia applications that may indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47539

Immediate Actions Required

• Update GStreamer to version 1.24.10 or later immediately across all affected systems
• Audit applications in your environment that depend on GStreamer for multimedia processing
• Implement network segmentation to isolate systems processing untrusted media content
• Restrict access to media processing functionality where feasible until patches are applied

Patch Information

GStreamer has released version 1.24.10 which addresses this vulnerability. The fix corrects the bounds calculation in the convert_to_s334_1a function to ensure proper memory allocation matches loop iteration requirements. The patch is available via the GitLab Merge Request. Additional information is available in the GStreamer Security Advisory and the GitHub Security Advisory.

For Debian-based systems, refer to the Debian LTS Announcement for distribution-specific patch availability.

Workarounds

• Disable or remove the MP4/QuickTime demuxer plugin (gst-plugins-good) if MP4 processing is not required
• Implement strict input validation to reject media files from untrusted sources until patching is complete
• Use containerization or sandboxing for applications processing untrusted multimedia content
• Configure application-level restrictions to prevent automatic processing of media files

# Check installed GStreamer version
gst-inspect-1.0 --version

# Verify if vulnerable qtdemux plugin is present
gst-inspect-1.0 qtdemux

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

# Update GStreamer on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora systems
sudo dnf update gstreamer1-plugins-good