CVE-2012-3755 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 Targa image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3755 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime media player software versions prior to 7.7.3. This security weakness specifically affects the handling of Targa image files, which are commonly used raster graphics formats in multimedia applications. The vulnerability resides in the image parsing functionality where insufficient bounds checking occurs when processing malformed Targa image data, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered remotely by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from improper memory management during the parsing of Targa image headers and pixel data structures. When QuickTime encounters a crafted Targa image file with maliciously constructed metadata or pixel information, the application fails to validate the size parameters of the image data before attempting to copy or process it into fixed-size buffers. This classic buffer overflow condition allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or application crash. The vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation through malicious file formats.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as remote code execution capabilities provide attackers with complete system compromise potential. An attacker could craft a malicious Targa image file and deliver it through various vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. When a user opens the malicious file within QuickTime, the buffer overflow occurs and can result in the attacker gaining arbitrary code execution privileges on the target system. This creates significant risk for enterprise environments where QuickTime is widely deployed, as a single compromised system could serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration.
Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to Apple QuickTime version 7.7.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based protections such as content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious media files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing libraries, highlighting how seemingly benign file format parsing can become a critical security concern when inadequate bounds checking is implemented. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious Targa image file handling activities and network traffic patterns associated with malicious file delivery attempts.