CVE-2021-46313 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 01/22/2022
The binary MP4Box in GPAC v1.0.1 was discovered to contain a segmentation fault via the function __memmove_avx_unaligned_erms (). This vulnerability can lead to a Denial of Service (DoS).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-46313 affects the MP4Box binary component within the GPAC multimedia framework version 1.0.1. This flaw manifests as a segmentation fault occurring within the __memmove_avx_unaligned_erms() function, representing a critical stability issue that can be exploited to trigger system crashes. The GPAC project serves as a comprehensive multimedia framework implementing various codecs and container formats, making MP4Box a core component for handling mp4 files and related multimedia operations. The segmentation fault represents a fundamental memory management error that occurs during data movement operations, indicating a potential buffer overflow or memory corruption scenario that disrupts normal program execution flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations within the AVX-optimized memory move function. When MP4Box processes certain malformed or crafted mp4 files, the __memmove_avx_unaligned_erms() function receives input data that causes it to attempt moving memory blocks in ways that violate memory boundaries or alignment requirements. This function specifically operates on aligned memory regions using advanced vector extensions, but fails to validate input parameters properly. The vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, as the memory corruption manifests through improper memory handling during data movement. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient input validation combined with unsafe memory manipulation patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, creating significant denial of service conditions for applications relying on GPAC for multimedia processing. An attacker capable of crafting malicious mp4 files could exploit this vulnerability to repeatedly crash applications using MP4Box, effectively rendering multimedia processing services unavailable to legitimate users. This scenario particularly affects content delivery networks, multimedia servers, and applications that process user-uploaded video content, as these systems may become vulnerable to continuous DoS attacks through crafted media files. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1566.001, covering spearphishing attachments, as the attack vector involves malicious media files delivered through various channels.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-46313 should focus on immediate patching of the GPAC framework to version 1.0.2 or later, which contains the necessary memory validation fixes. Organizations should implement input validation controls that sanitize all mp4 files before processing, particularly for user-uploaded content. Network segmentation and content filtering solutions can help prevent malicious files from reaching systems running MP4Box. Additionally, implementing robust error handling and graceful degradation mechanisms within applications using GPAC can minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal memory usage patterns and segmentation fault occurrences in multimedia processing services. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for multimedia processing tasks and regularly updating all multimedia frameworks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining unpatched in operational environments.