CVE-2010-0516 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in QuickTime in Apple Mac OS X before 10.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted movie file with RLE encoding, which triggers memory corruption when the length of decompressed data exceeds that of the allocated heap chunk.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-0516 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in Apple Mac OS X QuickTime component affecting versions prior to 10.6.3. This flaw resides in the handling of RLE (Run-Length Encoding) compressed data within movie files, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted media content can trigger memory corruption during decompression operations. The vulnerability operates through a classic heap corruption mechanism where the decompression process attempts to write data beyond the bounds of allocated memory chunks, potentially allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause application crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the QuickTime media framework's insufficient bounds checking during RLE decompression operations. When processing specially crafted movie files containing RLE encoded data, the decompression routine fails to properly validate the expected size of decompressed output against the allocated heap memory. This mismatch occurs because the system allocates a fixed-size buffer for decompressed data without adequate verification of whether the actual decompressed content will exceed these boundaries. The flaw manifests as a heap-based buffer overflow, which is classified as CWE-121 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, specifically addressing "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" but applicable to heap corruption scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code through crafted input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where users might encounter malicious media files. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting movie files that, when opened by vulnerable QuickTime implementations, trigger the buffer overflow condition. The consequences range from denial of service through application crashes to full system compromise when the overflow allows execution of malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. This vulnerability particularly affects users running Mac OS X versions earlier than 10.6.3, where the necessary security patches had not yet been implemented. The vulnerability is especially concerning because QuickTime was widely used for multimedia playback, increasing the attack surface significantly. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it a particularly effective vector for social engineering attacks. Organizations and individuals using affected systems face substantial risk of unauthorized code execution, data compromise, or system availability disruption, necessitating immediate patch deployment and security awareness training to mitigate potential exploitation attempts.