CVE-2015-3667 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
QT Media Foundation in Apple QuickTime before 7.7.7, as used in OS X before 10.10.4 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3661, CVE-2015-3662, CVE-2015-3663, CVE-2015-3666, and CVE-2015-3668.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3667 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple QuickTime's QT Media Foundation component, affecting versions prior to 7.7.7 across multiple operating systems including OS X versions before 10.10.4. This vulnerability resides in the media processing framework that handles various multimedia file formats and presents a significant security risk to users who encounter maliciously crafted media files. The flaw specifically manifests when the affected QuickTime component processes malformed or specially constructed media files, creating opportunities for remote code execution or system denial of service conditions. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of multimedia processing and memory management, where improper input validation leads to exploitable memory corruption patterns that can be leveraged by malicious actors to compromise system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking and memory management within the QT Media Foundation module. When processing crafted media files, the component fails to properly validate input parameters and buffer boundaries, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations. The flaw operates through a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption pattern where attacker-controlled data is processed without adequate sanitization, potentially allowing execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with multimedia processing libraries that handle untrusted input data without proper validation mechanisms, aligning with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions. The exploitation scenario typically involves delivery of a malicious media file through email attachments, web downloads, or other vectors where users might unknowingly open the file, triggering the vulnerable code path within QuickTime.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3667 extends beyond simple denial of service to encompass full system compromise capabilities for attackers who can successfully exploit the memory corruption vulnerability. In a real-world scenario, an attacker could craft a malicious media file designed to trigger the specific memory corruption pattern when opened by an affected QuickTime installation, potentially resulting in remote code execution on the target system. This capability enables attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and conduct further reconnaissance or data exfiltration activities. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Apple products and operating system versions increases its attack surface significantly, making it a target for widespread exploitation campaigns. Organizations and individuals running affected versions face substantial risk of compromise, particularly in environments where users regularly interact with multimedia content from untrusted sources, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script interpreter usage and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3667 primarily focus on immediate software updates and system hardening measures. Apple released QuickTime 7.7.7 and OS X 10.10.4 updates that address this vulnerability through improved input validation and memory management practices. Security administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple users might encounter malicious content. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict file type controls, disabling QuickTime plugin support in web browsers, and monitoring for unusual file processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network-based protections such as intrusion detection systems can be configured to detect patterns associated with known exploit signatures for this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for media processing applications and establishing robust incident response procedures to quickly identify and contain potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping multimedia processing components updated, as these libraries often handle complex parsing logic that can introduce significant security risks when not properly maintained.