CVE-2012-0265 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Apple QuickTime before 7.7.2 on Windows allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted pathname for a file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0265 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime software versions prior to 7.7.2 on Windows operating systems. This vulnerability resides in the file handling mechanism of QuickTime Player, specifically when processing file paths that contain crafted malicious data. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to parse and store a specially constructed pathname in a fixed-size stack buffer without proper bounds checking, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within QuickTime's file path processing routines. When a user opens a file with a maliciously crafted pathname, the application fails to adequately validate the length of the pathname string before copying it into a stack buffer. This buffer overflow condition occurs because the code does not perform sufficient boundary checks to ensure that the input data fits within the allocated memory space, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations with controlled data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which represents a well-known and dangerous class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to Windows users who have Apple QuickTime installed, as it enables remote code execution capabilities for attackers who can trick victims into opening maliciously crafted files. The attack vector requires the victim to interact with a specially prepared file, typically through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or malicious websites that deliver the exploit. The potential impact includes complete system compromise, data theft, or denial of service conditions where the application crashes and becomes unavailable to legitimate users. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by enabling initial access through malicious file delivery and T1059 for command execution once the exploit succeeds.
The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in severe consequences for affected organizations, particularly those with legacy systems running older versions of QuickTime. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to systems, escalate privileges, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to target systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently download malicious content. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to QuickTime version 7.7.2 or later, disabling QuickTime plugin execution in web browsers, and deploying network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education about the risks of opening untrusted files and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all systems remains critical in defending against this type of attack vector.