CVE-2023-45679
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedstb_vorbis is a single file MIT licensed library for processing ogg vorbis files. A crafted file may trigger memory allocation failure in `start_decoder`. In that case the function returns early, but some of the pointers in `f->comment_list` are left initialized and later `setup_free` is called on these pointers in `vorbis_deinit`. This issue may lead to code execution.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidencestb_vorbis library contains a memory management flaw in start_decoder where allocation failure leaves f->comment_list pointers initialized. When vorbisk_deinit calls setup_free on these uninitialized pointers, it triggers use-after-free enabling code execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 1.22CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify stb_vorbis.c versionSearch the stb_vorbis.c file for version strings or version defines. Common patterns include comments near the top of the file containing version numbers like '#define STB_VORBIS_VERSION' or version comment blocks.Affected if The installed version is 1.22 (exact match)
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Locate start_decoder functionSearch the source code for the function 'start_decoder' using grep or a text search within the stb_vorbis.c file.Affected if The function exists and contains allocation logic for f->comment_list
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Examine error handling paths in start_decoderReview the start_decoder function for code paths that perform allocation (likely for f->comment_list) and then return early on failure. Look for whether these early return paths properly initialize or NULL out f->comment_list pointers before returning.Affected if Early return paths after failed allocation do not sanitize f->comment_list pointers (leave them uninitialized)
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Check vorbis_deinit for unsafe cleanupLocate the vorbis_deinit function and examine how it handles f->comment_list. Look for calls to setup_free or similar memory free routines on f->comment_list without prior NULL checks.Affected if vorbis_deinit calls setup_free on f->comment_list without verifying pointers are valid (non-NULL and initialized)
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Verify allocation failure can occurIdentify the specific allocation call for f->comment_list within start_decoder. Determine if it uses standard allocation functions (malloc, calloc, etc.) that can fail and return NULL.Affected if The allocation for comment_list can fail (return NULL) and the code proceeds to vorbis_deinit without proper cleanup
Your environment is affected if stb_vorbis.c version 1.22 is in use and the start_decoder function contains allocation for f->comment_list without proper NULL pointer handling in error paths, enabling use-after-free when vorbis_deinit is called after allocation failure.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate stb_vorbis to version with proper NULL pointer handling in error paths, or sanitize all f->comment_list pointers before early returns in start_decoder.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-45679 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-45679 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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