# CVE-2004-0557: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via malicious WAV files due to buffer overflows in the SoX library, requiring user interaction to open the file.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Aug 2004
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2004-0557, DSA-565-1, GHSA-xxf9-f548-r28c, RHSA-2004:409

## What is CVE-2004-0557?

CVE-2004-0557 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 2 Aug 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple buffer overflows in the st_wavstartread function in wav.c for Sound eXchange (SoX) 12.17.2 through 12.17.4 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via certain WAV file header fields.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-0557?

It affects 6 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `sox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |
| `sox-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:12.17.4-4.3 |

Products: Conectiva Linux, Gentoo Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Fedora Core, Sox Sox.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-0557?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2004-0557 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-0557 exists.

Public exploit code:

- SoX - Local Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)
- SoX - '.wav' Local Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Conectiva Linux

- [CVE-2005-3625](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-3625/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0882/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0902/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0903/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0904](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0904/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-0557 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-0557 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 2 Aug 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-0557 exists.

Affected product: Conectiva Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0557/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0557/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0557
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-0557
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-0557

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0557/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.