CVE-2017-14642 in Bento4
Summary
by MITRE
A NULL pointer dereference was discovered in the AP4_HdlrAtom class in Bento4 version 1.5.0-617. The vulnerability causes a segmentation fault and application crash in AP4_StdcFileByteStream::ReadPartial in System/StdC/Ap4StdCFileByteStream.cpp, which leads to remote denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14642 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the Bento4 media processing library version 1.5.0-617. This issue manifests in the AP4_HdlrAtom class where improper input validation leads to a segmentation fault during file stream operations. The affected component AP4_StdcFileByteStream::ReadPartial in System/StdC/Ap4StdCFileByteStream.cpp demonstrates how malformed media files can trigger unexpected program termination. The root cause stems from insufficient boundary checking and null pointer validation within the media atom handling mechanism, creating a scenario where legitimate file processing operations can be disrupted by maliciously crafted input data. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of media file parsing and memory management, where the application fails to properly validate pointer references before dereferencing them during standard file read operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a predictable pattern where an attacker can craft specially formatted media files that contain malformed handler atoms. When the Bento4 library attempts to process these atoms through the AP4_HdlrAtom class, the system encounters a null pointer reference that results in immediate program termination. The segmentation fault occurs because the ReadPartial method does not perform adequate null checks before accessing memory locations that may have been initialized to null values. This flaw directly maps to CWE-476 which defines null pointer dereference as a common weakness in software security where a null pointer is dereferenced without proper validation. The vulnerability demonstrates how media processing libraries can become attack vectors when they fail to implement robust input sanitization mechanisms, particularly when dealing with user-supplied content that should be treated as untrusted.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14642 extends beyond simple application crashes to represent a significant denial of service threat in environments where Bento4 is deployed for media processing tasks. Systems utilizing this library for content delivery, streaming services, or media conversion workflows become vulnerable to remote exploitation by malicious actors who can disrupt service availability through carefully constructed media files. The vulnerability affects not only individual applications but also entire service infrastructures that depend on reliable media processing capabilities. Attackers can leverage this flaw to cause repeated service disruptions, potentially leading to financial losses and reputation damage for organizations that rely on continuous media processing operations. The remote nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where media files are processed automatically. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks and demonstrates how seemingly benign file processing operations can become security threats when proper input validation is absent.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14642 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Bento4 versions to address the null pointer dereference issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures that include mandatory pointer checks before any memory access operations, particularly in media file processing pipelines. The implementation of defensive programming practices such as null pointer validation, boundary checking, and proper error handling should be enforced throughout the codebase to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. Additionally, deploying network segmentation and content filtering mechanisms can help reduce the attack surface by limiting direct access to vulnerable processing systems. Regular security assessments and code reviews should focus on identifying similar patterns in media processing libraries and other file handling components to prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability. The remediation process should also include thorough testing of media file parsing operations with various input formats to ensure that the patched version properly handles edge cases and malformed data without crashing.