CVE-2023-0817 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2023
Buffer Over-read in GitHub repository gpac/gpac prior to v2.3.0-DEV.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0817 represents a critical buffer over-read condition affecting the gpac multimedia framework library. This issue was discovered in the GitHub repository gpac/gpac and specifically impacts versions prior to v2.3.0-DEV. The buffer over-read vulnerability occurs when the software attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing application instability. The gpac library serves as a comprehensive multimedia framework that supports various codecs and container formats, making it a widely used component in media processing applications. This vulnerability presents a significant risk as it could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system resources or extract confidential information from memory segments that should remain protected.
The technical flaw manifests within the buffer handling mechanisms of the gpac library where insufficient bounds checking occurs during memory operations. When processing specific multimedia content or malformed input data, the software fails to properly validate the size of data being read into allocated buffers, leading to over-read conditions that extend beyond intended memory boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-129, which specifically addresses improper validation of the length of input data, and more broadly relates to CWE-787 which encompasses out-of-bounds read conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core of multimedia processing functionality where input data validation is often complex due to the diverse formats and encoding standards supported by the library.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, potentially enabling attackers to extract sensitive information from adjacent memory locations or cause application crashes that could be exploited for denial-of-service attacks. In environments where gpac is integrated into media processing pipelines, streaming servers, or multimedia applications, this vulnerability could allow adversaries to access credentials, encryption keys, or other confidential data stored in memory. The attack surface is broad as the vulnerability affects any application utilizing gpac prior to version 2.3.0-DEV, including media players, content delivery networks, and multimedia processing tools. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could be leveraged under the technique T1059.007 for command and control communications or potentially through T1203 for exploitation of software vulnerabilities, depending on the specific attack vector employed by threat actors.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through updating to gpac version 2.3.0-DEV or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer over-read condition. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems and applications that depend on affected versions of the gpac library. Additionally, implementing runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous memory access patterns or unexpected application behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be strengthened to ensure timely deployment of security fixes, particularly for widely-used multimedia libraries that serve as foundational components in many software ecosystems.