CVE-2019-20159 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in GPAC version 0.8.0 and 0.9.0-development-20191109. There is a memory leak in dinf_New() in isomedia/box_code_base.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20159 represents a critical memory management flaw within the GPAC multimedia framework version 0.8.0 and 0.9.0-development-20191109. This issue manifests in the dinf_New() function located within the isomedia/box_code_base.c source file, where improper memory handling leads to persistent resource consumption that can severely impact system stability and performance. The GPAC project serves as a comprehensive multimedia framework supporting various codecs and streaming protocols, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for applications relying on its core functionality.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate memory deallocation practices within the dinf_New() function, which is responsible for creating and initializing data information boxes in ISO base media file format containers. When processing multimedia files containing specific data structures, the function fails to properly release previously allocated memory segments, resulting in gradual memory consumption that can eventually lead to application crashes or system resource exhaustion. This memory leak behavior aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper memory management and failure to release memory resources after use. The vulnerability operates at the foundational level of the multimedia processing pipeline, affecting how the framework handles media metadata and structural information within container files.
The operational impact of this memory leak extends beyond simple resource consumption, potentially enabling denial of service conditions that could disrupt multimedia applications and services relying on GPAC. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious media files that trigger repeated memory allocation without corresponding deallocation, leading to progressive system degradation. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is further amplified by the widespread use of GPAC in multimedia applications across various platforms and devices. According to ATT&CK framework category T1499, this vulnerability could enable resource exhaustion attacks that compromise system availability. Additionally, the memory leak could indirectly contribute to other security issues by consuming system resources needed for proper security operations or by creating conditions where other vulnerabilities become more exploitable.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-20159 should prioritize immediate patching of affected GPAC versions to address the specific memory management issue in the dinf_New() function. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix should ensure proper memory deallocation following allocation within the affected function, implementing robust error handling to prevent similar issues in related code paths. Organizations using GPAC in production environments should conduct thorough testing of patched versions to ensure no regressions in multimedia processing capabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through malformed media files, particularly in environments where users can upload or process external multimedia content.