CVE-2011-0256 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Apple QuickTime before 7.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via crafted track run atoms in a QuickTime movie file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0256 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime media player software versions prior to 7.7. This vulnerability resides in the handling of track run atoms within QuickTime movie files, which are essential components for organizing and storing media data in the QuickTime format. The flaw occurs when the application processes malformed track run atoms that contain excessively large integer values, leading to unexpected behavior during memory allocation and data processing operations. Such integer overflows are particularly dangerous because they can result in memory corruption that adversaries can exploit to gain control over the affected system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious QuickTime movie files with specially constructed track run atoms that contain integer values exceeding the maximum representable value for the data type used in the processing logic. When QuickTime attempts to parse these malformed atoms, the integer overflow causes the application to allocate insufficient memory or compute incorrect memory addresses, ultimately leading to memory corruption. This memory corruption can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the QuickTime player or to cause the application to crash through a denial of service condition. The vulnerability specifically affects the media parsing engine within QuickTime and demonstrates a classic software flaw where improper input validation leads to exploitable conditions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who frequently handle multimedia content from untrusted sources. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no user interaction beyond opening a malicious QuickTime file, making it a prime candidate for drive-by download attacks or social engineering campaigns. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple operating systems including macOS versions that shipped with older QuickTime implementations, potentially impacting both personal and enterprise environments. Security researchers have classified this issue as highly critical due to its remote exploitability and the potential for privilege escalation, with the ATT&CK framework categorizing this under initial access and execution techniques that leverage software vulnerabilities.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2011-0256 involves immediate deployment of Apple's security updates that address the integer overflow condition in QuickTime's track run atom processing. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems running vulnerable QuickTime versions receive the necessary updates. Additionally, security controls such as application whitelisting and sandboxing can provide additional layers of protection by limiting the execution of potentially malicious QuickTime files. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and demonstrates how improper integer handling can lead to severe security consequences. Network security teams should also consider implementing file type filtering and content inspection mechanisms to prevent the execution of potentially malicious QuickTime files in enterprise environments, particularly when dealing with email attachments or web downloads from untrusted sources.