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Stb Vorbis.cApplication · Nothings

CVE-2023-45681

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-10-21
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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 · unedited
stb_vorbis is a single file MIT licensed library for processing ogg vorbis files. A crafted file may trigger memory write past an allocated heap buffer in `start_decoder`. The root cause is a potential integer overflow in `sizeof(char*) * (f->comment_list_length)` which may make `setup_malloc` allocate less memory than required. Since there is another integer overflow an attacker may overflow it too to force `setup_malloc` to return 0 and make the exploit more reliable. 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 · high confidence

stb_vorbis contains an integer overflow vulnerability in `start_decoder` where `sizeof(char*) * (f->comment_list_length)` can overflow, causing `setup_malloc` to allocate insufficient heap memory. A crafted OGG Vorbis file with a large comment_list_length triggers a heap buffer overflow during comment processing, leading to potential code execution. An additional integer overflow can force `setup_malloc` to return NULL, making exploitation more reliable.

MitigationUpdate stb_vorbis to a patched version that validates comment_list_length before allocation, or implement input validation to reject files where comment_list_length * sizeof(char*) exceeds reasonable bounds.

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
Stb Vorbis.cApplication
Affected:= 1.22

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate stb_vorbis in your environment
    Search for files named 'stb_vorbis.c' or 'stb_vorbis.h' in your codebase or installed libraries. Check your dependency manifests, package managers, or source directories for references to stb_vorbis.
    Affected if stb_vorbis.c version 1.22 is present in your environment or linked as a dependency.
  2. Verify the stb_vorbis version
    Open the stb_vorbis.c file and look for a version identifier near the top of the file (typically in a comment or #define). Compare this version to the affected version 1.22.
    Affected if The installed version is exactly 1.22.
  3. Confirm OGG Vorbis file processing is enabled
    Review your application code to determine if it uses stb_vorbis APIs such as stb_vorbis_open_filename, stb_vorbis_open_memory, or stb_vorbis_decode_filename to process OGG audio files.
    Affected if Your application or service processes OGG Vorbis audio files using stb_vorbis.
  4. Inspect the vulnerable code region
    Search within stb_vorbis.c for the 'start_decoder' function and locate the allocation line: 'f->comment_list = (char**)setup_malloc(f, sizeof(char*) * f->comment_list_length)'. This is where the integer overflow occurs.
    Affected if The vulnerable allocation pattern exists without prior validation of comment_list_length.
  5. Check for input validation on Vorbis comments
    Examine the code surrounding the comment_list_length parsing (typically near the 'vorbis' or 'comment' header processing) to see if there is any bounds checking on this value before the malloc call.
    Affected if No bounds checking or validation is performed on comment_list_length before the allocation.

You are affected if your environment uses stb_vorbis.c version 1.22 to process OGG Vorbis files and the code lacks validation on the comment_list_length value before the malloc in start_decoder.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update stb_vorbis to a patched version that validates comment_list_length before allocation, or implement input validation to reject files where comment_list_length * sizeof(char*) exceeds reasonable bounds.

Recommended fix High confidence

latest version from https://github.com/nothings/stb (after v1.22)

  1. 1. Locate the stb_vorbis.c file in your project (commonly found in the src or lib directory)
  2. 2. Download the latest version of stb_vorbis.c from the official repository at https://github.com/nothings/stb
  3. 3. Replace the existing stb_vorbis.c file with the new version
  4. 4. Rebuild and recompile your project to incorporate the fixed library
  5. 5. Retest your application to verify normal audio decoding functionality
Caveat stb_vorbis is a header-only library; upgrading should not introduce breaking API changes as the interface remains compatible

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Stb Vorbis.c Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,380
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-45681 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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