CVE-2018-14054 in MP4v2
Summary
by MITRE
A double free exists in the MP4StringProperty class in mp4property.cpp in MP4v2 2.0.0. A dangling pointer is freed again in the destructor once an exception is triggered.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14054 represents a critical memory corruption issue within the MP4v2 library version 2.0.0, specifically within the MP4StringProperty class implementation. This flaw manifests as a double free condition that occurs during object destruction when an exception is thrown during the processing of MP4 file properties. The MP4v2 library serves as a widely-used open-source library for reading and writing MP4 media files, making this vulnerability particularly concerning given its potential for widespread exploitation across various applications that depend on MP4 file handling capabilities. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management practices within the library's property handling mechanisms, creating a scenario where the same memory location can be freed twice under specific error conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the MP4StringProperty class in the mp4property.cpp file where the destructor contains logic that does not properly account for exception handling scenarios. When an exception occurs during property processing, the object's destructor attempts to free memory resources that have already been freed during the exception handling process, resulting in a double free condition. This behavior creates a dangling pointer situation where memory that has been freed is subsequently accessed again, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-415: Double Free, which is a well-known software defect pattern that can be exploited by attackers to manipulate heap memory structures. The specific trigger for this condition involves the interaction between exception handling and memory deallocation within the library's object lifecycle management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can be leveraged to achieve remote code execution in applications that process untrusted MP4 files. Attackers can craft malicious MP4 files that, when processed by vulnerable applications, will trigger the double free condition during the MP4StringProperty destructor execution. This exploitation scenario is particularly dangerous because MP4 files are commonly used media formats that appear in numerous applications including media players, content management systems, web browsers, and mobile applications. The vulnerability affects any software that utilizes MP4v2 2.0.0 or earlier versions, creating a substantial attack surface across multiple industries and application domains. The potential for denial of service, arbitrary code execution, and privilege escalation makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14054 focus primarily on upgrading to patched versions of the MP4v2 library where the double free condition has been resolved through proper memory management practices. Organizations should immediately update their software dependencies to MP4v2 version 2.0.1 or later, which includes fixes for this specific vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization of MP4 files before processing can provide defense-in-depth measures, though this approach does not address the root cause. Security researchers and developers should also consider implementing memory safety checks and using tools such as address sanitizers or heap profilers to detect similar issues in other components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper exception handling in memory management scenarios and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through scripting, as exploitation may involve crafting malicious files that trigger the vulnerable code path during normal file processing operations.