CVE-2011-0211 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in QuickTime in Apple Mac OS X before 10.6.8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted movie file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0211 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Apple's QuickTime media framework that affected Mac OS X versions prior to 10.6.8. This vulnerability resides in the media processing components of QuickTime, specifically in how the software handles certain data structures within movie files. The integer overflow occurs when QuickTime attempts to process malformed or crafted movie files that contain oversized or improperly formatted data fields. Such files can trigger a situation where arithmetic operations exceed the maximum value that can be represented by the integer data type, leading to unexpected behavior in the application's memory management and execution flow. This flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted media content without requiring any user interaction beyond opening the file.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic integer overflow pattern that falls under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions. When QuickTime processes a specially crafted movie file, it performs calculations that should determine buffer sizes or array dimensions, but due to the overflow, these calculations produce incorrect values. The overflow typically occurs in memory allocation routines where the application attempts to allocate memory based on corrupted input data. The attacker can manipulate the movie file to cause the integer calculation to wrap around to a very small or negative value, which then gets used as a buffer size parameter. This results in either insufficient memory allocation leading to buffer underflow conditions or excessive allocation that causes memory corruption, ultimately leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability is particularly insidious because it operates at the application level and can be triggered through legitimate media file processing without requiring elevated privileges or special attack vectors.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for Mac OS X users who may encounter malicious movie files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. The exploit can result in either remote code execution allowing attackers to gain full control of the victim's system or denial of service through application crashes that can disrupt normal operations. The attack surface is broad since QuickTime is integrated into the operating system and handles multimedia content from various sources, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise Mac systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, enabling them to launch attacks from anywhere on the internet. The impact extends beyond individual users to enterprise environments where Mac systems may be used for business-critical applications and where a successful exploit could lead to data breaches, system compromise, or disruption of business operations. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) which describe how attackers can leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code and establish persistent access.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0211 primarily focus on applying the official security patches provided by Apple through their software update mechanisms. The recommended solution involves upgrading to Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper bounds checking and integer overflow protections within the QuickTime framework. Organizations should also implement network-based controls such as content filtering and sandboxing measures that prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious media files. Security administrators should consider disabling QuickTime plugins in web browsers and implementing strict file validation policies for multimedia content. Additional protective measures include network segmentation to limit exposure, regular vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched systems, and maintaining updated security monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of timely patch management and proper input validation in preventing integer overflow attacks, which remain a prevalent class of vulnerabilities across multiple software platforms and operating systems.