CVE-2001-0198 in Quicktime
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in QuickTime Player plugin 4.1.2 (Japanese) allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long HREF parameter in an EMBED tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0198 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in the QuickTime Player plugin version 4.1.2 specifically targeting the Japanese locale implementation. This security weakness resides within the handling of multimedia content through web browsers, where the plugin fails to properly validate input parameters when processing embedded media objects. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious web page contains an EMBED tag with an excessively long HREF parameter, which triggers the buffer overflow condition in the plugin's memory management routines.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the HTML EMBED tag structure, specifically targeting the HREF attribute which contains a Uniform Resource Identifier pointing to multimedia content. When the QuickTime plugin processes this malformed parameter, it attempts to copy the excessively long string into a fixed-size buffer without proper bounds checking, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows for memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2001-0198 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. The buffer overflow can potentially be exploited to gain control over the affected system, allowing for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or further network compromise. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that automatically trigger the vulnerability when viewed in browsers with the vulnerable QuickTime plugin installed, making this an effective vector for drive-by attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects systems running Windows operating systems with the Japanese locale settings, as the specific implementation of the plugin in this locale contains the exploitable buffer overflow condition.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which involves the use of command and scripting interpreter for execution. The exploitation chain typically involves initial compromise through web-based delivery mechanisms followed by code execution within the context of the user's browser session. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of the QuickTime Player plugin to version 4.1.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, network administrators should implement web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block suspicious EMBED tags and prevent access to known malicious web resources. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of keeping multimedia plugins updated, as browser plugin components often represent significant attack surfaces due to their complex functionality and frequent security issues.