CVE-2007-2394 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Apple Quicktime before 7.2 on Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.9 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted (1) title and (2) author fields in an SMIL file, related to improper calculations for memory allocation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2394 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime software versions prior to 7.2 on Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.9 systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the processing of SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) files, which are commonly used for multimedia presentations and web content synchronization. The flaw occurs when QuickTime attempts to parse the title and author fields within these SMIL files, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted data can trigger unexpected behavior in memory management operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper calculations during memory allocation processes within QuickTime's SMIL parser. When the software encounters specially crafted title and author fields in an SMIL file, it performs arithmetic operations that result in integer overflow conditions. This overflow causes the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing the multimedia content, creating a situation where subsequent memory operations can overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability falls under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables user-assisted remote code execution attacks. Attackers can craft malicious SMIL files containing oversized title and author fields that, when opened by a victim using vulnerable QuickTime versions, trigger the integer overflow. This creates an exploit chain where the overflowed integer results in a heap-based buffer overflow, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user. The attack vector requires user interaction since the malicious file must be opened by the target system, making it a user-assisted remote attack rather than a fully automated exploit.
This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for client execution. The attack leverages the legitimate functionality of QuickTime's multimedia processing capabilities to create an execution environment where malicious code can be injected. The exploitation process demonstrates the classic pattern of memory corruption vulnerabilities where improper input validation leads to memory layout manipulation. Organizations running affected systems face potential compromise risks including unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and system persistence mechanisms that attackers can establish through successful exploitation of this vulnerability.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2007-2394 requires immediate deployment of Apple's security patches for QuickTime 7.2 and subsequent versions. System administrators should also implement network-level controls to restrict access to SMIL files from untrusted sources and consider disabling QuickTime plugin functionality in web browsers where possible. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management processes should be enforced across all Mac OS X systems to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper integer overflow protection in memory management operations and demonstrates why input validation and bounds checking are essential security controls in multimedia processing software.