CVE-2021-45289 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 12/21/2021
A vulnerability exists in GPAC 1.0.1 due to an omission of security-relevant Information, which could cause a Denial of Service. The program terminates with signal SIGKILL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-45289 represents a significant security flaw within the GPAC multimedia framework version 1.0.1. This issue stems from an inadequate handling of security-relevant information during program execution, creating a condition that can be exploited to disrupt normal system operations. The GPAC framework, widely used for multimedia processing and streaming applications, becomes susceptible to this vulnerability due to its failure to properly manage critical security parameters during runtime operations. The flaw manifests when the application encounters specific processing conditions that trigger an abrupt termination sequence, ultimately resulting in a denial of service condition that affects legitimate users and system availability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a critical omission in the security architecture of GPAC 1.0.1 where essential security-relevant information is not properly considered during processing flows. This omission creates a scenario where the application fails to maintain proper state management or input validation mechanisms that would normally prevent system instability. When the vulnerable conditions are met, the program executes a termination sequence that concludes with a SIGKILL signal being sent to the process, effectively forcing an immediate shutdown without graceful cleanup procedures. This abrupt termination prevents the system from properly releasing resources or completing ongoing operations, leading to the denial of service condition that impacts system availability and user access to multimedia services.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-45289 extends beyond simple service interruption, as it can affect systems that rely heavily on GPAC for multimedia processing tasks. Organizations using this framework in streaming services, multimedia applications, or content delivery networks may experience significant disruption when attackers exploit this vulnerability. The SIGKILL termination signal indicates that the vulnerability can be leveraged to cause immediate system shutdown without allowing for proper error handling or recovery mechanisms. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where continuous operation is critical, as the denial of service can occur without warning and may require manual intervention to restore normal system functionality.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-459 which addresses incomplete cleanup issues in software systems, and potentially CWE-707 which deals with improper neutralization of special elements in the context of security-relevant information. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers endpoint denial of service attacks targeting application availability. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation, enhancing error handling procedures, and ensuring that security-relevant information is properly considered during all processing phases. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of GPAC, implementing monitoring systems to detect abnormal termination patterns, and establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle SIGKILL triggered disruptions. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit potential exploitation vectors and reduce the attack surface for this specific vulnerability.