CVE-2015-3791 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
QuickTime 7 in Apple OS X before 10.10.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3765, CVE-2015-3779, CVE-2015-3788, CVE-2015-3789, CVE-2015-3790, CVE-2015-3792, CVE-2015-5751, CVE-2015-5753, and CVE-2015-5779.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3791 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple QuickTime 7 software running on macOS versions prior to 10.10.5. This vulnerability exists within the media processing engine of QuickTime and enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution or induce denial of service conditions through the exploitation of specially crafted media files. The flaw specifically affects the parsing and handling of multimedia content within the QuickTime framework, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter untrusted media files from web sources or email attachments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the QuickTime media parser component. When QuickTime processes a malformed or specially crafted media file, the application fails to properly validate the structure and content of the file, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code within the context of the running application. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple attack vectors including network-based exploitation and social engineering, as attackers can deliver malicious files through various channels such as email attachments, compromised websites, or malicious downloads.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to macOS users and organizations relying on QuickTime 7 for media playback. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely means that attackers can potentially gain full control over affected systems, install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The denial of service component of the vulnerability further compounds the risk by allowing attackers to crash the QuickTime application or even the entire operating system, disrupting business operations and potentially creating opportunities for additional attacks. This vulnerability directly maps to several techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1489 for denial of service, demonstrating how the flaw can be leveraged across multiple attack phases.
Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect against this vulnerability, including updating to macOS 10.10.5 or later versions where the issue has been resolved through official patches. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based restrictions to prevent access to untrusted media sources and deploy endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block malicious media files. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing comprehensive patch management processes, as the exploitation of such flaws often occurs rapidly in the wild once public information becomes available. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted media files and the importance of keeping software up to date remains crucial in defending against this and similar vulnerabilities.