CVE-2018-13848 in Bento4
Summary
by MITRE
An issue has been found in Bento4 1.5.1-624. It is a SEGV in AP4_StszAtom::GetSampleSize in Core/Ap4StszAtom.cpp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13848 represents a critical memory corruption issue within the Bento4 multimedia framework version 1.5.1-624. This flaw manifests as a segmentation fault occurring in the AP4_StszAtom::GetSampleSize method located in the Core/Ap4StszAtom.cpp source file. The Bento4 library serves as a comprehensive multimedia framework for processing and manipulating various media formats including mp4, m4v, and other iso base media file format containers. The issue arises during the parsing of media atom structures where the application fails to properly validate input data before attempting to access memory locations, creating a potential vector for arbitrary code execution or system instability.
This vulnerability falls under the category of buffer over-read and memory corruption as classified by CWE-125 and CWE-787, representing a classic case of improper input validation leading to memory access violations. The specific flaw occurs when processing the sample size atom within mp4 container files, where the application attempts to read sample size information without adequate bounds checking. The AP4_StszAtom class is responsible for handling the sample size table atom that defines the size of each sample in a media track, and the GetSampleSize method fails to validate whether the requested sample index is within the valid range of the sample size table. This oversight creates a scenario where maliciously crafted media files can trigger memory access violations when the application attempts to read beyond allocated memory boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it provides potential attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code on systems running affected versions of Bento4. When a vulnerable application processes a specially crafted media file, the segmentation fault can be leveraged to overwrite memory contents, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where media processing applications handle untrusted input from external sources, such as web applications, content management systems, or media processing pipelines. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a code injection technique under T1059, where an attacker can manipulate application behavior through crafted input data that triggers memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13848 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Bento4 installations to version 1.5.1-625 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory validation issues. Organizations should implement input validation measures that enforce strict bounds checking on all media file processing operations, particularly when handling external or untrusted media content. Network segmentation and application sandboxing can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual memory access patterns and segmentation fault occurrences in media processing applications. Additionally, implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can identify and flag the presence of vulnerable Bento4 versions in deployed environments will help ensure comprehensive protection against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that could be exploited in similar contexts.