CVE-2019-7844 in Media Encoder
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Media Encoder version 13.0.2 has an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2024
Adobe Media Encoder version 13.0.2 contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that stems from inadequate input validation within its media processing pipeline. This vulnerability manifests when the application processes specially crafted media files that contain malformed data structures, specifically within the handling of audio and video metadata. The flaw occurs during the parsing of container formats such as mov, mp4, and other supported media types where the application fails to properly validate array indices before accessing memory locations. This vulnerability is classified as CWE-129 Improper Validation of Array Index, which represents a fundamental weakness in input validation that allows attackers to manipulate memory access patterns. The out-of-bounds read condition can be triggered through maliciously constructed media files that exploit the application's failure to implement proper bounds checking mechanisms during media file parsing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors within the context of a compromised system. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, the out-of-bounds read may expose sensitive memory contents including stack canaries, heap metadata, or other process-specific information that could aid in further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction as it can be triggered through automated processing of media files within the application's workflow, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated media processing occurs. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell where attackers might leverage information disclosure to craft more targeted attacks. The vulnerability affects the application's memory management integrity, potentially allowing attackers to gain insights into memory layout patterns that could be leveraged for privilege escalation or code execution attacks.
The exploitation of CVE-2019-7844 demonstrates a classic example of how media processing applications remain vulnerable to memory corruption issues due to insufficient validation of external inputs. The vulnerability exists in the application's handling of media container formats where it reads from memory locations without verifying that the requested indices fall within acceptable bounds. Attackers can construct malicious media files that contain oversized or malformed metadata structures that cause the application to read beyond allocated memory regions, potentially exposing confidential data stored in adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where Adobe Media Encoder is used for automated content processing workflows, as it could allow attackers to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that many media processing workflows involve automated batch processing of files from untrusted sources, creating multiple attack surfaces for exploitation. Organizations using affected versions should prioritize immediate patching to prevent potential information disclosure scenarios that could compromise system integrity and data confidentiality.