CVE-2008-1577 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Pixlet codec in Apple Pixlet Video in Apple Mac OS X before 10.5.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted movie file, related to "multiple memory corruption issues."
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1577 resides within the Pixlet codec implementation in Apple Mac OS X versions prior to 10.5.3, specifically affecting the Pixlet Video component. This issue represents a critical security flaw that demonstrates the inherent risks associated with multimedia codec processing in operating systems. The vulnerability stems from multiple memory corruption issues that occur when the affected software processes specially crafted movie files, creating a dangerous attack surface for remote threat actors. The Pixlet codec serves as a fundamental component for handling video content within the macOS ecosystem, making this vulnerability particularly concerning given its potential for widespread exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes when processing malformed video files. These memory corruption flaws typically manifest through buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory management errors that occur during the parsing and decoding of video streams. The vulnerability's unspecified nature suggests that multiple distinct memory corruption patterns exist within the Pixlet codec implementation, each potentially exploitable by attackers. Such issues commonly originate from insufficient input validation and inadequate bounds checking during video file processing, where the codec fails to properly handle malformed or maliciously constructed media data.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for macOS users and organizations relying on affected systems. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code on target systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation. The denial of service aspect of the vulnerability can also be exploited to disrupt legitimate system operations, causing application crashes that may affect productivity and availability. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to target systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where macOS systems may be exposed to untrusted network traffic.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and control execution, T1203 for exploitation for execution, and T1499 for endpoint denial of service. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability likely maps to CWE-125 out-of-bounds read errors or CWE-787 out-of-bounds write errors, both of which are common manifestations of memory corruption issues in multimedia processing components. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability, as the risk of exploitation remains high given the nature of the flaw and the widespread use of macOS systems in enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Apple's security patches for Mac OS X 10.5.3 and subsequent versions, along with network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of macOS systems to untrusted content sources and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to contain potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running affected versions of the operating system and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing multimedia-based attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of timely security updates and proper input validation in multimedia processing components, particularly in operating system environments where such components are integral to system functionality.