CVE-2018-21017 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE
GPAC 0.7.1 has a memory leak in dinf_Read in isomedia/box_code_base.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-21017 represents a critical memory management flaw within the GPAC multimedia framework version 0.7.1. This issue manifests as a memory leak occurring in the dinf_Read function located within the isomedia/box_code_base.c source file. The GPAC project serves as a comprehensive multimedia framework implementing various ISO base media file format standards including mp4 and mov container formats, making it a widely used component in multimedia processing applications across multiple platforms and systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the ISO base media file parsing functionality. When the dinf_Read function processes specific media file structures, particularly those involving data information boxes within mp4 containers, the allocated memory resources are not properly released upon function completion. This memory leak occurs during the parsing of container metadata and does not get cleared from memory even after the processing routine has finished executing. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects the fundamental file parsing mechanisms that are invoked frequently during multimedia content processing, potentially leading to progressive memory consumption over time.
The operational impact of this memory leak extends beyond simple resource consumption, as it can lead to significant system instability and performance degradation in applications utilizing GPAC. When embedded within multimedia players, streaming servers, or content processing pipelines, the accumulation of unreleased memory can eventually result in application crashes, system slowdowns, or complete system exhaustion. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in server environments where continuous media file processing occurs, as the memory leak compounds over time and can lead to denial of service conditions. Additionally, this flaw may be exploited by malicious actors to perform resource exhaustion attacks against systems processing multimedia content, making it a potential vector for availability-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-21017 should prioritize immediate patching of affected GPAC installations to version 0.7.2 or later where the memory leak has been addressed through proper memory management practices. System administrators should implement monitoring protocols to detect memory consumption patterns in applications utilizing GPAC, enabling early detection of potential exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper management of dynamic memory allocation, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499 for resource exhaustion attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing input validation measures and limiting the scope of media file processing to reduce exposure windows, while maintaining comprehensive logging of memory usage patterns to identify anomalous behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts.