CVE-2021-40562 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 01/13/2022
A Segmentation fault caused by a floating point exception exists in Gpac through 1.0.1 using mp4box via the naludmx_enqueue_or_dispatch function in reframe_nalu.c, which causes a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-40562 represents a critical segmentation fault issue within the Gpac multimedia framework version 1.0.1 and earlier. This flaw manifests specifically when the mp4box utility processes certain malformed or crafted input files through the naludmx_enqueue_or_dispatch function located in the reframe_nalu.c source file. The underlying cause of this vulnerability stems from an unhandled floating point exception that occurs during the processing of video NALU (Network Abstraction Layer Unit) data streams, particularly within the context of MP4 container format handling.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of floating point operations within the video decoding pipeline of Gpac. When mp4box encounters specific patterns in the input media stream, particularly those related to NALU structures, the system triggers a floating point exception that is not properly caught or managed by the application's error handling mechanisms. This unhandled exception results in an immediate segmentation fault, causing the mp4box process to terminate abruptly and leading to a complete denial of service condition for the affected system. The vulnerability specifically targets the reframe_nalu.c module which is responsible for managing the reformatting and dispatching of NALU data during video processing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it creates a significant risk for systems that rely on Gpac for media processing tasks. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious media files that trigger the specific code path leading to the floating point exception, thereby enabling remote or local denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable versions of Gpac. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where automated media processing is critical, such as content delivery networks, media servers, or any system that processes user-uploaded video content. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed through standard media file manipulation, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to disrupt services without requiring complex attack vectors.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-191, which describes integer underflow conditions, and CWE-369, which covers divide by zero errors, as the underlying cause involves improper handling of mathematical operations that result in system crashes. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes network denial of service attacks, as the exploitation results in service disruption. Organizations should prioritize updating their Gpac installations to versions beyond 1.0.1 to mitigate this risk, as the fix typically involves proper exception handling and input validation for floating point operations within the NALU processing pipeline. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and monitoring for abnormal process termination patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust error handling in multimedia processing frameworks, where malformed input can lead to complete system crashes rather than graceful degradation of service.