CVE-2022-29339 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 05/05/2022
In GPAC 2.1-DEV-rev87-g053aae8-master, function BS_ReadByte() in utils/bitstream.c has a failed assertion, which causes a Denial of Service. This vulnerability was fixed in commit 9ea93a2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29339 resides within the GPAC multimedia framework version 2.1-DEV-rev87-g053aae8-master, specifically within the bitstream handling component. This issue manifests in the BS_ReadByte() function located in the utils/bitstream.c source file, where a critical assertion failure occurs during normal operation. The GPAC project represents a comprehensive multimedia framework used for processing various digital media formats including video, audio, and interactive content, making it a critical component in digital media processing environments. The assertion failure within the bitstream parsing logic indicates a fundamental flaw in how the software handles byte-level data extraction from bitstreams, which are essential for processing multimedia content.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper error handling within the bitstream reading mechanism. When the BS_ReadByte() function encounters a condition that violates its expected operational parameters, the assertion mechanism triggers and terminates the application process rather than gracefully handling the error condition. This assertion failure represents a classic example of inadequate input validation and error recovery mechanisms, which can be categorized under CWE-665 Improper Initialization. The function's inability to properly handle malformed or unexpected bitstream data leads to an abrupt termination of the application, creating a denial of service condition that affects legitimate users attempting to process multimedia content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption as it affects the reliability and stability of applications built upon the GPAC framework. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to craft specially formatted bitstream data that triggers the assertion failure, causing the target application to crash and become unavailable to legitimate users. This denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in environments where GPAC is used as a core component for media processing, streaming services, or content delivery systems. The vulnerability affects any application or system that utilizes the affected GPAC version for bitstream processing, including media players, streaming servers, and content processing pipelines. The impact is amplified because bitstream parsing is a fundamental operation in multimedia processing, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can affect a wide range of applications across different domains.
The fix implemented in commit 9ea93a2 addresses this vulnerability by strengthening the error handling mechanisms within the BS_ReadByte() function. The solution involves modifying the assertion logic to properly validate input parameters before processing and implementing graceful error recovery instead of abrupt termination. This remediation approach aligns with best practices for defensive programming and follows the principle of least privilege by ensuring that malformed input data does not cause system-wide failures. The fix demonstrates proper error handling techniques that prevent assertion failures from cascading into denial of service conditions, which is consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Avoiding Detection through Application Layer Firewall. Organizations using GPAC should prioritize upgrading to the patched version to eliminate this vulnerability and ensure continued service availability. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of robust error handling in multimedia processing frameworks where malformed input data is common and can be used to disrupt service availability.