CVE-2024-47597: GStreamer Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47597 Overview

CVE-2024-47597 is an Out-of-Bounds Read vulnerability discovered in GStreamer, a widely-used open-source multimedia framework for constructing graphs of media-handling components. The vulnerability exists within the qtdemux_parse_samples function in the qtdemux.c file, where improper boundary checking allows reading up to 8 bytes beyond the allocated stream->stco buffer when parsing maliciously crafted MP4 files.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious MP4 media files that trigger out-of-bounds memory reads, potentially leading to information disclosure or application crashes when processed by vulnerable GStreamer installations.

Affected Products

• GStreamer versions prior to 1.24.10
• Applications and media players utilizing vulnerable GStreamer libraries
• Linux distributions shipping affected GStreamer packages (including Debian LTS)

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-12 - CVE-2024-47597 published to NVD
• 2026-03-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47597

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-125 (Out-of-Bounds Read), a memory safety issue that occurs when software reads data past the end of an allocated buffer. The flaw specifically manifests in GStreamer's QuickTime demuxer component, which is responsible for parsing MP4 and other QuickTime-format media containers.

The vulnerable code path involves the qtdemux_parse_samples function calling qt_atom_parser_get_offset_unchecked without adequate validation of the buffer boundaries. When processing a specially crafted MP4 file, the function attempts to read offset data from the stream->stco (Sample Table Chunk Offset) atom beyond its allocated size, resulting in an out-of-bounds read of up to 8 bytes.

This type of vulnerability requires local access, meaning an attacker would need to convince a user to open a malicious media file or have the file processed by an automated media pipeline.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient boundary validation within the qtdemux_parse_samples function. The code trusts the size values embedded within the MP4 container's atom structure without verifying that the requested offsets fall within the actual allocated buffer. The use of qt_atom_parser_get_offset_unchecked bypasses safety checks that would normally prevent reading beyond buffer boundaries, creating an exploitable condition when parsing malformed or malicious media files.

Attack Vector

Exploitation of CVE-2024-47597 requires local access and user interaction. An attacker would craft a malicious MP4 file containing manipulated STCO atom data designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. The attack scenario involves:

1. Creating a specially crafted MP4 file with malformed chunk offset table entries
2. Distributing the malicious file through various channels (email attachments, file sharing, web downloads)
3. Tricking a victim into opening the file with an application using vulnerable GStreamer libraries
4. The qtdemux_parse_samples function parses the malicious STCO atom, triggering the OOB read

The vulnerability was demonstrated using a proof-of-concept file named GHSL-2024-245_crash1.mp4 which reliably triggers the out-of-bounds read condition.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47597

Indicators of Compromise

• Application crashes or unexpected terminations when processing MP4 files
• Memory access violations in GStreamer-based applications during media playback
• Presence of suspicious or corrupted MP4 files with abnormal STCO atom structures
• Log entries indicating memory read errors in qtdemux.c or related components

Detection Strategies

• Deploy memory sanitizers (AddressSanitizer, Valgrind) in development and testing environments to detect OOB reads
• Monitor for application crashes with stack traces pointing to qtdemux_parse_samples or QuickTime demuxer functions
• Implement file integrity monitoring for media processing pipelines
• Use endpoint detection solutions to identify exploitation attempts through behavioral analysis

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable GStreamer debug logging to capture parsing errors and anomalies
• Monitor system logs for segmentation faults in applications utilizing GStreamer
• Implement network-level monitoring for unusual media file transfers
• Deploy SIEM rules to correlate crash events with recently accessed media files

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47597

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade GStreamer to version 1.24.10 or later immediately
• Review and patch all systems running vulnerable GStreamer versions
• Restrict processing of untrusted media files until patches are applied
• Consider implementing application sandboxing for media processing workflows

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been fixed in GStreamer version 1.24.10. The patch addresses the boundary checking issue in the qtdemux_parse_samples function to ensure proper validation before accessing the STCO buffer. Organizations should apply updates through their distribution's package manager or compile from source using the patched codebase.

Relevant resources:

• GitLab Merge Request Patch
• GStreamer Security Advisory 2024-0012
• GitHub Security Advisory GHSL-2024-245
• Debian LTS Announcement February 2025

Workarounds

• Avoid processing MP4 files from untrusted sources until the patch is applied
• Implement input validation to reject malformed media files before GStreamer processing
• Run media processing applications in sandboxed environments with limited memory access
• Use alternative media libraries for untrusted content processing if GStreamer cannot be updated immediately

# Verify GStreamer version to ensure patch is applied
gst-inspect-1.0 --version

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

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