CVE-2007-0015 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Apple QuickTime 7.1.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long rtsp:// URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0015 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime version 7.1.3 that enables remote code execution through specially crafted rtsp protocol URIs. This vulnerability resides in the media player's handling of real-time streaming protocol URIs, which are commonly used for streaming multimedia content over networks. The flaw specifically manifests when QuickTime processes a malformed rtsp:// URI containing excessive data that exceeds the allocated buffer space, creating conditions where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory regions.
From a technical perspective this buffer overflow occurs due to insufficient input validation and bounds checking within QuickTime's URI parsing routine. The vulnerability is classified as a classic stack-based buffer overflow under CWE-121, where the application fails to properly validate the length of input data before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. When processing the rtsp:// URI, QuickTime does not adequately verify the length of the URI components, particularly the server address and path segments, allowing attackers to craft malicious URIs that exceed buffer boundaries and overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses and function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running affected QuickTime versions without requiring any local privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage or opening a specially crafted email attachment containing the malicious URI. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and web-based attacks where users might inadvertently encounter malicious content. The exploitability is further enhanced by the fact that QuickTime is widely installed on both desktop and mobile platforms, creating a substantial attack surface. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as attackers can leverage the remote code execution capability to establish persistent access and escalate privileges.
The attack vector specifically targets the media handling capabilities of QuickTime, making it particularly effective against users who frequently access multimedia content from untrusted sources. When a user clicks on or visits a webpage containing the malicious rtsp:// URI, QuickTime automatically attempts to parse and process the URI, triggering the buffer overflow condition. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer without requiring any special network privileges or system-level access. Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of QuickTime, implementing network-level filtering to block rtsp protocol traffic, and deploying application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of vulnerable QuickTime components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in multimedia applications, highlighting how seemingly benign protocol handling can create significant security risks when not properly secured against malicious input.