Overview
This blog post delves into the critical security vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-29366, which is found in Mupen64plus v2.6.0. Mupen64plus, a popular open-source, cross-platform plugin-based Nintendo 64 emulator, has been found to contain an array overflow vulnerability that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the host machine. This vulnerability, due to its high severity and the broad user base of Mupen64plus, carries significant implications for cybersecurity. If successfully exploited, this vulnerability could lead to system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-29366
Severity: Critical (CVSS Score of 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Mupen64plus | v2.6.0
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of an array overflow vulnerability found in the ‘write_rdram_regs’ functions of Mupen64plus v2.6.0. This vulnerability arises due to improper handling of certain input, which can lead to an out-of-bounds write scenario. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the host machine, potentially compromising the system or leading to data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
The following is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. Please note that this is a simplified representation of an exploit and is meant for illustrative purposes only.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define BUFFER_SIZE 16
void write_rdram_regs(char *input) {
char buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];
strcpy(buffer, input); // Overflow occurs here
}
int main() {
char malicious_payload[BUFFER_SIZE * 2];
memset(malicious_payload, 'A', sizeof(malicious_payload) - 1); // Fill with arbitrary data
malicious_payload[sizeof(malicious_payload) - 1] = '\0'; // Null-terminate
write_rdram_regs(malicious_payload);
return 0;
}In this conceptual example, a buffer is overflowed with arbitrary data, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite important memory areas, leading to code execution.
Recommendations for Mitigation
Users are advised to apply the vendor’s patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation against potential exploitation of this vulnerability.