CVE-2023-2838 in GPAC
Summary
by MITRE • 05/22/2023
Out-of-bounds Read in GitHub repository gpac/gpac prior to 2.2.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2838 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw discovered in the GitHub repository gpac/gpac prior to version 2.2.2. This issue affects the General Purpose Audio Codec library which is widely used for multimedia processing and streaming applications. The vulnerability manifests when the software processes malformed or specially crafted input data that triggers memory access violations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. Such flaws typically occur in multimedia processing libraries where input validation is insufficient to handle edge cases or maliciously constructed media files.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the memory management routines of the gpac library. When processing certain media streams or file formats, the software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer limits before accessing memory locations. This allows an attacker to craft input data that causes the application to read memory beyond its intended boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information or causing unexpected program behavior. The flaw falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, which specifically addresses issues where programs fail to validate that array indices are within acceptable ranges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multimedia processing contexts where input data can be highly variable and complex.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can be exploited to potentially extract sensitive information from the application's memory space or cause denial of service conditions. Attackers could leverage this flaw by submitting specially crafted media files or streams that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition, potentially leading to information disclosure or application crashes. In environments where gpac is used for streaming services or multimedia applications, this vulnerability could be exploited to compromise the integrity of the processing pipeline. The attack surface is significant given the widespread use of this library in various multimedia applications, making it a prime target for exploitation. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control through multimedia processing channels, though the primary impact remains in information disclosure and system stability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2838 require immediate deployment of version 2.2.2 or later of the gpac library, which contains the necessary patches to address the out-of-bounds read condition. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems and applications that utilize the affected library, particularly those handling untrusted media input. Input validation measures should be enhanced to include comprehensive bounds checking for all array accesses, and memory safety mechanisms such as address sanitizers should be implemented during development and testing phases. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management procedures should be enforced to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in the future. The remediation process should also include monitoring for any exploitation attempts and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful attacks.