CVE-2014-1244 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Apple QuickTime before 7.7.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted movie file with H.264 encoding.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1244 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple QuickTime media player software affecting versions prior to 7.7.5. This security issue resides in the handling of H.264 encoded movie files, which are widely used multimedia formats that support high-definition video content. The buffer overflow occurs when QuickTime processes specially crafted movie files that contain malformed H.264 video streams, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized control over affected systems. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious movie file that contains oversized or malformed data structures within the H.264 video stream. When the vulnerable QuickTime player attempts to decode and render this crafted content, the buffer overflow occurs in the memory management routines responsible for handling video frame data. The flaw typically manifests in the video decoding pipeline where the application fails to properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. This allows an attacker to overwrite critical memory regions including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution or forcing the application to crash. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it a prime candidate for drive-by download attacks and social engineering campaigns.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1244 extends beyond simple application crashes to encompass full system compromise in many scenarios. When successfully exploited, the buffer overflow can lead to remote code execution with the privileges of the user running QuickTime, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors on affected systems. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple devices including desktop computers, laptops, and mobile devices that utilize QuickTime for media playback. Organizations relying on QuickTime for multimedia content delivery face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users frequently access untrusted web content or receive email attachments containing multimedia files. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability also creates operational disruption, as legitimate users may experience application instability or crashes when encountering malicious content, leading to productivity losses and increased support overhead.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-1244 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and proactive security measures. Apple released QuickTime 7.7.5 and subsequent versions that addressed this vulnerability through improved input validation and enhanced buffer management routines. System administrators should prioritize immediate deployment of these security patches across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where the risk of exploitation is highest. Additional protective measures include implementing content filtering solutions that can identify and block malicious movie files, disabling QuickTime plugin support in web browsers, and employing sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network-based intrusion detection systems that can monitor for patterns associated with exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability may be used in conjunction with other attack vectors within broader cyber warfare campaigns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution tactic, highlighting its potential use in establishing initial access points within target networks through compromised media playback applications.