CVE-2023-0819 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2023
Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository gpac/gpac prior to v2.3.0-DEV.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2025
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0819 affects the gpac/gpac multimedia framework prior to version 2.3.0-DEV. This vulnerability resides within the heap memory management system of the software, creating a critical security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during memory allocation and data processing operations within the multimedia handling components of the framework. The affected system processes multimedia content including video and audio streams, making it a potential target for attackers seeking to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The technical flaw manifests when the software processes specially crafted multimedia files that trigger an improper memory allocation operation. During the heap allocation phase, the system fails to validate input data boundaries, allowing an attacker to write data beyond the allocated buffer space. This condition creates a heap-based buffer overflow that can be leveraged to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the core multimedia processing pipeline where legitimate users might process untrusted content from external sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides attackers with potential pathways to achieve privilege escalation and system compromise. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow can lead to denial of service conditions, unauthorized code execution, and complete system control. The attack surface is significant given that gpac is widely used in multimedia applications, streaming platforms, and content processing systems. Organizations relying on this framework for video processing, streaming services, or multimedia content management are particularly vulnerable to this type of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0819 primarily focus on immediate software updates to version 2.3.0-DEV or later, which contain the necessary patches addressing the heap overflow conditions. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns and process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, input validation controls should be strengthened to prevent malformed multimedia content from reaching the vulnerable processing components. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which specifically addresses heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a potential attack vector classified under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter usage. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to reduce exploitability, while maintaining regular security assessments of multimedia processing pipelines to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components.