CVE-2006-4385 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Apple QuickTime before 7.1.3 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted SGI image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4385 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime media player software prior to version 7.1.3. This security weakness specifically affects the handling of SGI image files, which are a type of raster graphics format commonly used in computer graphics and animation. The flaw exists in the image parsing logic where insufficient bounds checking occurs when processing SGI image headers and data structures, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered through maliciously crafted image files.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management during the parsing of SGI image format specifications. When QuickTime encounters a specially crafted SGI image file, the application fails to validate the size parameters within the image header structure before allocating memory for image data. This allows an attacker to specify a larger data size than what is actually present in the file, causing a buffer overflow when the application attempts to read beyond allocated memory boundaries. The overflow can overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and executable code segments, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to users who may encounter malicious SGI image files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that successful exploitation requires some form of user interaction, typically involving the opening of a malicious file or visiting a compromised web page that automatically attempts to display the crafted SGI image. This attack model aligns with common social engineering tactics used in targeted campaigns and reflects the broader trend of file format vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially allow full system compromise when combined with other exploitation techniques.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates how improper input validation can lead to memory corruption attacks. According to ATT&CK framework categorization, this vulnerability would be classified under T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target system. Organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment for all affected QuickTime installations, as the vulnerability was widely exploited in the wild during 2006. Additional mitigations include implementing email filtering rules to block SGI image attachments, disabling automatic image preview in web browsers, and conducting security awareness training to prevent users from opening suspicious files from untrusted sources. The incident highlights the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing libraries, serving as a reminder of how seemingly benign file format parsing can become a critical security risk when proper bounds checking is omitted.