CVE-2011-1374 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Apple QuickTime before 7.7.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted REGION record in a PICT file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-1374 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime media handling components that existed in versions prior to 7.7.3. This vulnerability specifically targets the parsing of REGION records within PICT file format structures, demonstrating how multimedia processing libraries can become attack vectors for remote code execution. The flaw arises from insufficient bounds checking during the processing of malformed PICT files, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory allocation and execution flow. The affected QuickTime versions were widely distributed across multiple operating systems including macOS and Windows platforms, amplifying the potential impact of this vulnerability across diverse user bases.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs during the parsing of REGION records within PICT container files, where the application fails to properly validate the size and structure of incoming data before attempting to copy it into fixed-size memory buffers. This classic buffer overflow condition allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow or injecting malicious code. The vulnerability operates through a remote attack vector, meaning that adversaries can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to the target system, simply by enticing users to open maliciously crafted PICT files. The attack typically results in application crashes or complete system compromise, depending on the precision of memory corruption achieved by the attacker.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments where users frequently interact with multimedia content from untrusted sources. The widespread adoption of QuickTime across various platforms meant that organizations were exposed to potential exploitation through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing activities. The remote execution capability of this flaw makes it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged through drive-by downloads or social engineering campaigns without requiring user interaction beyond opening a malicious file. Security professionals noted that the vulnerability could be exploited in conjunction with other techniques to achieve persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment to QuickTime versions 7.7.3 and later, as Apple released security updates specifically addressing this buffer overflow condition. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious file transfers or access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a common pattern in multimedia processing libraries where input validation is insufficient. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through malicious files and privilege escalation through code execution, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent backdoors or move laterally within networks. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted multimedia files and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to monitor for related exploitation attempts.