Editing M3U (section)

{{Short description|Computer file format for a multimedia playlist}}
{{Infobox file format
| name        = M3U
|_noextcode   = 
| extensions  = .m3u, .m3u8
|_nomimecode  = on
| mime        = various; see [[#Internet media types|§ Internet media types]]
| type code   = <!-- none, per https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-pantos-http-live-streaming-17 -->
| released    = c. 1996<!-- first supported but undocumented in WinPlay3 2.0, released October 1996; see Talk:M3U -->
| genre       = [[Playlist]]
| extended_to = [[HTTP Live Streaming]] playlist
}}

'''M3U''' (''[[MP3]] [[URL]]''<ref name="WinPlay3v20"/><ref name="Gnomie"/>) is a computer file format for a multimedia [[playlist]]. One common use of the M3U file format is creating a single-entry playlist file pointing to a [[Streaming media|stream]] on the Internet.  The created file provides easy access to that stream and is often used in downloads from a website, for emailing, and for listening to [[Internet radio]].

Although originally designed for audio files, such as [[MP3]], it is commonly used to point media players to audio and video sources, including online sources. M3U was originally developed by [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer]] for use with their [[WinPlay3]] software,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winamp.com/download/docs/index.jhtml?filenumber=120&language=english&layout=normal&prevlayout=normal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020606035458/http://www.winamp.com/download/docs/index.jhtml?filenumber=120&language=english&layout=normal&prevlayout=normal|archive-date=2002-06-06|title=WINAMP.COM &#124; Winamp Documentation|date=June 6, 2002}}</ref> but numerous media players and software applications now support the format.

Careless handling of M3U playlists has been the cause of [[vulnerability (computer security)|vulnerabilities]] in many music players such as [[VLC media player]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/security/sa0804.html |year=2008 |title=VideoLAN-SA-0804 (CVE-2007-6683) |quote=Arbitrary file overwrite and other abuses through M3U parser and browsers plugins.}}</ref> [[iTunes]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cve.circl.lu/cve/CVE-2012-0677|title=CVE-2012-0677: Heap-based buffer overflow in Apple iTunes before 10.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands|website=cve.circl.lu}}</ref> [[Winamp]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cve.report/CVE-2000-0624/|title=CVE-2000-0624: Buffer overflow in Winamp 2.64 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long #EXTINF: ext|website=www.cvedetails.com}}</ref> and many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://packetstormsecurity.com/search/?q=m3u&s=files |title=247 search results |work=[[Packet Storm]] |access-date=2018-01-23}}</ref>