CVE-2013-0987 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Apple QuickTime before 7.7.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted QTIF file.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0987 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple QuickTime media player software versions prior to 7.7.4. This vulnerability exists in the handling of QuickTime Interchange Format files, which are commonly used for storing and transmitting multimedia content across various platforms. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious QTIF files that can trigger unexpected behavior in the affected software, potentially leading to system compromise or service disruption. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management practices within the QuickTime parsing routines that process these specific file formats.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking and memory allocation during the parsing of crafted QTIF file structures. When the vulnerable QuickTime component processes a maliciously constructed file, it fails to properly validate the file headers and data structures, leading to buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. These memory corruption issues can result in arbitrary code execution when the corrupted memory locations are subsequently accessed by the application's execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks and social engineering campaigns.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0987 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities for attackers. Successful exploitation can enable attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running QuickTime, potentially leading to complete system infiltration, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple operating systems including macOS versions that shipped with vulnerable QuickTime components, making it particularly attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise environments where QuickTime is commonly deployed. Organizations running affected versions face significant risk of targeted attacks through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites serving malicious QTIF content.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, covering out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common in media processing libraries. The attack pattern follows typical ATT&CK techniques categorized under TA0002, execution and TA0005, defense evasion, as attackers leverage media player vulnerabilities to establish initial access and potentially evade detection mechanisms. Remediation efforts should prioritize immediate patch deployment of QuickTime 7.7.4 or later versions, alongside network segmentation and content filtering measures to prevent delivery of malicious QTIF files. Additionally, system administrators should implement regular vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched systems and consider disabling QuickTime functionality where it is not essential for business operations, particularly in high-risk environments such as financial institutions or government agencies.