CVE-2011-0247 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in Apple QuickTime before 7.7 on Windows allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted H.264 movie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0247 represents a critical security flaw in Apple QuickTime software versions prior to 7.7 on Windows operating systems. This vulnerability manifests as multiple stack-based buffer overflows that occur when processing H.264 video content, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems. The flaw specifically affects the media processing components within QuickTime that handle H.264 encoded video streams, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread use of this video format across various digital platforms and applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the QuickTime media parser when handling crafted H.264 movie files. Stack-based buffer overflows occur when the application writes more data to a fixed-length memory buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. In this case, the buffer overflow conditions are triggered by specially constructed H.264 video files that exploit memory management flaws in the QuickTime player's video decoding routines. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as stack-based buffer overflow, which directly enables arbitrary code execution or system crashes through memory corruption techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0247 extends beyond simple application instability to encompass full system compromise capabilities for remote attackers. When exploited, these buffer overflows can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to complete system control. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can deliver malicious H.264 content through web browsers, email attachments, or file sharing platforms without requiring local access to the target system. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of remote services and T1059 for command execution through compromised applications, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where QuickTime is commonly used for multimedia content delivery.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt deployment of Apple's security patches addressing QuickTime version 7.7 and later. System administrators should consider network segmentation and content filtering to prevent unauthorized H.264 content from reaching end-user systems, while also implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted media files. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely patch management and proper input validation in multimedia processing applications, as evidenced by similar patterns seen in other media player vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the wild. Additionally, security monitoring should include detection of unusual QuickTime process behavior and network traffic patterns associated with H.264 content delivery to identify potential exploitation attempts.