CVE-2017-12474 in mp42ts
Summary
by MITRE
The AP4_AtomSampleTable::GetSample function in Core/Ap4AtomSampleTable.cpp in Bento4 mp42ts before 1.5.0-616 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via a crafted mp4 file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12474 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Bento4 mp42ts tool suite, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.5.0-616. This issue manifests in the AP4_AtomSampleTable::GetSample function located within Core/Ap4AtomSampleTable.cpp, demonstrating how improperly handled input validation can lead to system instability. The flaw occurs when processing crafted mp4 files that contain malformed atom structures, creating conditions where the application attempts to dereference a null pointer during sample table processing. This particular vulnerability falls under the category of software fault tolerance issues and aligns with CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions that can lead to application crashes and system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specially formatted mp4 file that triggers the specific code path within the AP4_AtomSampleTable::GetSample function. When the mp42ts utility processes such a malicious file, the application fails to properly validate the structure of the atom sample table, leading to a scenario where a null pointer is accessed during the sample retrieval process. This results in an immediate application crash and subsequent denial of service condition, effectively preventing legitimate users from utilizing the tool for its intended purpose. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input validation and error handling within multimedia processing libraries, where malformed input data can cause the application to behave unpredictably and terminate abruptly.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that rely on Bento4 mp42ts for video processing and transcoding operations. Organizations using this tool for content delivery, media server operations, or automated video processing workflows could experience service disruptions when encountering malicious mp4 files in their processing pipelines. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it can affect entire content management systems, streaming platforms, and automated workflows that depend on reliable tool execution. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to disrupt services by uploading or transmitting specially crafted mp4 files to systems running vulnerable versions of the Bento4 toolkit, potentially causing cascading failures in media processing environments. The vulnerability also represents a potential vector for persistent denial of service attacks where repeated exploitation could maintain system unavailability.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate upgrading to Bento4 version 1.5.0-616 or later, which includes proper null pointer checks and enhanced input validation within the AP4_AtomSampleTable::GetSample function. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of the vulnerable software are updated across their infrastructure. Additionally, implementing input sanitization measures and validating mp4 file integrity before processing can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Organizations should also consider deploying automated monitoring systems to detect unusual application termination patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust error handling and input validation in multimedia processing applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks and the broader category of application-level attacks that target software vulnerabilities through malformed inputs. The fix implemented in the updated version demonstrates proper defensive programming practices that prevent null pointer dereference conditions while maintaining the functionality of the mp42ts tool for legitimate use cases.