Topic: WinAmp update fades out critical media player flaws (parsing PNG, JPEG)

[Samker]

WinAmp users ought to upgrade following the discovery of multiple security vulns affecting the popular media player.

Four flaws each involving module decoder plug-ins to the media player can be used to trigger heap-based buffer overflows, a handy mechanism for injecting hostile code onto vulnerable systems. In addition, an integer overflow vulnerability in parsing PNG or JPEG data may result in memory corruption.

WinAmp users are advised to upgrade to version 5.57 of the media player, which addresses all five flaws. Security firm Secunia describes the vulnerabilities as "highly critical" - normal critical is a term that just doesn't cut it anymore, apparently.

Secunia does a good job of explaining the ins and out of the flaws and providing links to more information in an advisory here: http://secunia.com/advisories/37495/
For the real security geeks out there, WinAmp changelog lists security and stability fixes line by line here: http://www.winamp.com/help/Version_History#Winamp_5.57_.28Latest.29

WinAmp is developed by Nullsoft, which has posted an overview of the performance tweaks in the new release in a blog posting here: http://blog.winamp.com/2009/12/17/winamp-5-57-is-now-available

The new version of WinAmp is fully compliant with Windows 7 and features a redesigned podcast directory interface, among other things. The update was published on Thursday but it was only after Secunia ran a rule over the release and published an advisory on Friday that the security implications of not upgrading became clearer.

(Register)