CVE-2023-0760 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 02/09/2023
Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository gpac/gpac prior to V2.1.0-DEV.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0760 affects the gpac/gpac repository prior to version 2.1.0-DEV, representing a critical security flaw that can potentially compromise system integrity and availability. This vulnerability resides within the multimedia framework implementation and demonstrates the classic characteristics of heap corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. The issue manifests when the software processes certain input data structures that exceed allocated buffer boundaries in heap memory regions, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow through memory corruption techniques. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in multimedia processing applications where large data sets are handled, as they can be triggered through crafted media files or streaming content that the application attempts to parse and render.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the gpac library's buffer handling mechanisms. When processing specific multimedia formats or data streams, the application fails to properly bounds-check buffer allocations, allowing attackers to write data beyond intended memory boundaries. This heap-based overflow can overwrite adjacent memory locations including function return addresses, control data, or other critical program variables. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow classification, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in heap memory regions where dynamic allocation occurs. The flaw represents a direct violation of memory safety principles and demonstrates poor defensive programming practices that are commonly exploited in advanced persistent threat campaigns and exploit development.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include potential remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems processing multimedia content through gpac libraries. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious media files or network streams that trigger the buffer overflow during normal processing operations, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects any system utilizing gpac versions prior to 2.1.0-DEV, including media servers, content delivery networks, and multimedia processing applications that depend on this library for video and audio handling. This creates widespread exposure across various deployment scenarios where multimedia content processing is performed, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a security operations perspective and aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0760 primarily focus on immediate version updates to gpac 2.1.0-DEV or later releases that contain the necessary patches addressing the heap buffer overflow conditions. System administrators should prioritize patch management procedures to ensure all affected installations receive the security updates promptly, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation controls, deploying memory corruption detection tools such as address sanitizer or heap analysis utilities, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect anomalous memory usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems that process multimedia content through gpac libraries, while maintaining regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential heap-based vulnerabilities in similar multimedia processing frameworks. The fix typically involves implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms and ensuring that dynamic buffer allocations account for all possible input variations that could trigger the overflow conditions.