CVE-2022-31651

What it actually does

Triggers an assertion failure in rate_init within rate.c of libsox.a when processing certain malformed audio inputs, causing abnormal termination.

Why it matters to the business

Disrupts audio conversion and editing workflows by crashing on untrusted files, leading to operational downtime in media pipelines with low urgency due to absent widespread exploitation.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies a crafted audio file that fails the rate initialization check. When SoX processes the file locally, the assertion triggers and terminates the process.

How to fix it

Upgrade SoX to a version resolving the rate_init assertion; sandbox audio processing and restrict SoX to trusted inputs only.

How to confirm the fix worked

Test SoX against known triggering audio samples to confirm absence of crashes post-update; review build logs for libsox.a changes.

Typical attack path

1. Craft a malicious audio file targeting rate_init assertion
2. Deliver file to target environment
3. Induce processing via SoX on untrusted input
4. Trigger application crash and denial of service

How to detect it

Inspect SoX process logs and crash dumps for rate_init assertion messages; correlate unexpected terminations with audio file ingestion events.

• assertion failure in rate_init
• rate.c
• libsox.a

What your security team should do

• Apply latest SoX release addressing the rate handling flaw
• Enforce input sanitization and sandboxing for all audio workflows
• Monitor crash logs for rate_init failures