CVE-2004-1188: The pnm_get_chunk function in xine 0.99.2 and earlier, and other packages such as MPlayer that use the same co

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HIGH 10.0WATCHLISTDOWNGRADEDOWNGRADEDOWNGRADE

CVE-2004-1188 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 10.0) affecting mplayer, xine, xine-lib. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The pnm_get_chunk function in xine 0.99.2 and earlier, and other packages such as MPlayer that use the same code, does not properly verify that the chunk size is less than the PREAMBLE_SIZE, which causes a read operation with a negative length that leads to a buffer overflow via (1) RMF_TAG, (2) DATA_TAG, (3) PROP_TAG, (4) MDPR_TAG, and (5) CONT_TAG values, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-1187.

Why this priority

Critical severity
On your watchlist

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	10.0 (High)
EPSS exploit chance	2.0% (top 20%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2005-01-10
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: mandrakesoft · mplayer · xine

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2005-01-10 05:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:07 UTCUpdated Record last modified

mplayer mplayer DOWNGRADE

Affected: 0.90 · 0.90_pre · 0.90_rc · 0.90_rc4 · 0.91 · 0.92 · 0.92.1 · 0.92_cvs

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 0.90

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy mplayer || rpm -q mplayer || mplayer --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 0.90 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison mplayer sudo apt install mplayer=<VERSION_BEFORE_0.90> sudo apt-mark hold mplayer

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list mplayer sudo dnf downgrade mplayer-<VERSION_BEFORE_0.90> sudo dnf versionlock add mplayer

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

xine xine DOWNGRADE

Affected: 0.9.8 · 0.9.13 · 0.9.18 · 1_alpha · 1_beta1 · 1_beta2 · 1_beta3 · 1_beta4

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 0.9.8

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy xine || rpm -q xine || xine --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 0.9.8 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison xine sudo apt install xine=<VERSION_BEFORE_0.9.8> sudo apt-mark hold xine

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list xine sudo dnf downgrade xine-<VERSION_BEFORE_0.9.8> sudo dnf versionlock add xine

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

xine xine-lib DOWNGRADE

Affected: 0.9.8 · 0.9.13 · 0.99 · 1_alpha · 1_beta1 · 1_beta2 · 1_beta3 · 1_beta4

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 0.9.8

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy xine-lib || rpm -q xine-lib || xine-lib --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 0.9.8 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison xine-lib sudo apt install xine-lib=<VERSION_BEFORE_0.9.8> sudo apt-mark hold xine-lib

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list xine-lib sudo dnf downgrade xine-lib-<VERSION_BEFORE_0.9.8> sudo dnf versionlock add xine-lib

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

mandrakesoft mandrake linux MITIGATE

Affected: 10.0 · 10.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 10.0

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2004-1188?

mplayer: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; xine: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; xine-lib: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2004-1188 being exploited?

CVE-2004-1188 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2004-1188 affect?

CVE-2004-1188 affects mplayer, xine, xine-lib. Severity is high (CVSS 10.0). The pnm_get_chunk function in xine 0.99.2 and earlier, and other packages such as MPlayer that use the same code, does not properly verify that the chunk size is less than the PREAMBLE_SIZE, which causes a read operation with a negative len

How urgent is CVE-2004-1188?

Priority 60/100. Critical severity; On your watchlist

Related CVEs

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CVE-2022-38865 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Certain The MPlayer Project products are vulnerable to Divide By Zero via the function demux_avi_read_packet o
CVE-2022-38864 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Certain The MPlayer Project products are vulnerable to Buffer Overflow via the function mp_unescape03() of lib
CVE-2022-38863 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Certain The MPlayer Project products are vulnerable to Buffer Overflow via function mp_getbits() of libmpdemux
CVE-2022-38862 HIGH 7.8 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Certain The MPlayer Project products are vulnerable to Buffer Overflow via function play() of libaf/af.c:639

References

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