CVE-2005-2755 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Apple QuickTime Player before 7.0.3 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted file with a missing movie attribute, which leads to a null dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2019
Apple QuickTime Player version 7.0.2 and earlier contains a critical null pointer dereference vulnerability that can be exploited by user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service condition. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the movie attribute parsing mechanism, where the application fails to properly handle missing or malformed movie attributes in crafted media files. When a maliciously constructed file is processed, the player attempts to access a null pointer that was never properly initialized, resulting in an immediate application crash and system instability.
The technical flaw resides in the QuickTime Player's media file parsing routines that do not adequately validate the presence and integrity of required movie attributes before attempting to reference them. This specific vulnerability maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, a common software weakness that occurs when a program attempts to access a null pointer as if it were a valid memory reference. The vulnerability is classified as user-assisted because the attacker must convince a user to open the malicious file, typically through social engineering or phishing techniques that deliver the crafted QuickTime movie file.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be leveraged to disrupt user productivity and potentially serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks. When exploited, the crash can occur during normal media playback operations, causing unexpected application termination and potentially leaving users unable to access legitimate media content. In enterprise environments, this vulnerability could be particularly dangerous as it may be used to disrupt critical multimedia operations or as part of broader attack campaigns targeting vulnerable systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment to upgrade to Apple QuickTime Player 7.0.3 or later versions that contain the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies and consider deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent execution of untrusted media files. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious file attachments and verifying the legitimacy of media content before opening. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving application deployment and execution, specifically T1204.002 which covers legitimate credentials and T1059 which involves command and script interpreter usage. Organizations should also monitor network traffic for suspicious file transfers and implement endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block malicious QuickTime files before they can be executed.