CVE-2011-0213 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer 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 JPEG file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0213 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple's QuickTime media framework affecting Mac OS X versions prior to 10.6.8. This security weakness resides in the JPEG file parsing functionality of QuickTime, which fails to properly validate input data when processing specially crafted image files. The flaw enables malicious actors to exploit the software's memory management mechanisms by feeding it oversized or malformed JPEG data that exceeds the allocated buffer space. Such exploitation can result in memory corruption that fundamentally compromises the application's execution flow and potentially the entire system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within QuickTime's JPEG decoder component. When the application encounters a malformed JPEG file, it attempts to copy image data into a fixed-size memory buffer without sufficient validation of the source data length. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the software does not verify that incoming data fits within predetermined memory boundaries before performing the copy operation. The vulnerability manifests when a remote attacker crafts a JPEG file containing maliciously constructed data that triggers the overflow, causing unpredictable behavior in the application's memory layout. This type of flaw maps directly to CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking leads to memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0213 extends beyond simple application instability to encompass full system compromise potential. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code within the context of the QuickTime application, potentially gaining unauthorized access to system resources and user data. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites that automatically trigger QuickTime's JPEG parsing functionality. In practice, this means that users browsing the internet or opening email attachments could unknowingly trigger the exploit without any visible indication of compromise. The vulnerability also poses significant risk for denial of service scenarios, where attackers can crash the QuickTime application or even cause complete system instability through carefully crafted malicious files.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper bounds checking and memory validation within the QuickTime JPEG parsing code. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected Mac systems and consider implementing network-based protections such as content filtering to prevent download of potentially malicious JPEG files. Additional defensive measures include disabling QuickTime plugin support in web browsers, implementing application whitelisting policies, and monitoring for unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving initial access through malicious files and privilege escalation through code execution, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns associated with buffer overflow exploitation attempts.