CVE-2008-0033 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Apple QuickTime before 7.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application termination) and execute arbitrary code via a movie file with Image Descriptor (IDSC) atoms containing an invalid atom size, which triggers memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0033 represents a critical memory corruption issue within Apple QuickTime media processing software prior to version 7.4. This flaw resides in the handling of movie files containing Image Descriptor (IDSC) atoms with invalid atom sizes, creating a condition where remote attackers can exploit the application's failure to properly validate input data structures. The vulnerability operates at the core of multimedia file parsing mechanisms, specifically targeting the atom size validation logic that governs how QuickTime processes movie container formats. When a maliciously crafted movie file is processed, the software's inability to properly handle malformed atom sizes leads to memory corruption that can result in application termination or arbitrary code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can occur when software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer sizes. The flaw manifests when QuickTime attempts to parse IDSC atoms within movie files, where the atom size field contains invalid values that exceed expected boundaries or violate internal constraints. This memory corruption scenario creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents through carefully crafted input, potentially leading to privilege escalation or system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can deliver malicious movie files through various network channels without requiring local access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web-based environments where QuickTime is commonly used for media playback.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on QuickTime for multimedia content delivery or processing. The denial of service component can disrupt media playback services, while the arbitrary code execution capability provides attackers with potential access to systems running vulnerable QuickTime versions. The attack surface extends beyond individual user machines to enterprise environments where QuickTime may be integrated into content management systems, web applications, or media processing pipelines. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability was particularly concerning because it could be exploited through web browsers or email clients that automatically play QuickTime content, creating widespread exposure across different user scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0033 should prioritize immediate patching of affected QuickTime installations to version 7.4 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for atom size validation. Organizations should implement network segmentation and content filtering measures to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious QuickTime files through email attachments or web downloads. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual QuickTime process behavior or memory allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted media files and organizations should consider disabling QuickTime plugin support in web browsers where possible. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in multimedia processing software, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate user execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage that could follow successful exploitation.