CVE-2025-25947 in Bento4
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2025
An issue in Bento4 v1.6.0-641 allows an attacker to trigger a segmentation fault via Ap4Atom.cpp, specifically in AP4_AtomParent::RemoveChild, during the execution of mp4encrypt with a specially crafted MP4 input file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-25947 resides within the Bento4 v1.6.0-641 multimedia processing library, specifically affecting the mp4encrypt tool used for encrypting mp4 files. This issue manifests as a segmentation fault during the processing of specially crafted input files, demonstrating a critical memory management flaw that can lead to application crashes and potential system instability. The vulnerability is rooted in the AP4_AtomParent::RemoveChild function within the Ap4Atom.cpp source file, which fails to properly handle certain edge cases during atom manipulation operations.
The technical flaw occurs when the mp4encrypt utility processes malformed mp4 input files that contain crafted atom structures designed to exploit memory access violations. During the RemoveChild operation, the application attempts to manipulate atom parent-child relationships without proper validation of the atomic structure integrity. This particular implementation lacks adequate bounds checking and memory boundary validation, allowing an attacker to construct input files that cause the application to access invalid memory locations or attempt to modify protected memory regions. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read classification, as the application reads memory beyond its allocated bounds during atom processing operations, and may also relate to CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write when attempting to modify memory structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can be exploited to cause denial of service attacks against systems that rely on mp4encrypt for media processing. Attackers can craft malicious mp4 files that, when processed by the vulnerable tool, will trigger segmentation faults and cause the application to terminate unexpectedly. This creates opportunities for service disruption in environments where automated media processing workflows depend on the stability of the Bento4 library. In more severe scenarios, the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code, particularly if the application is running with elevated privileges or in environments where additional attack surface exists. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in automated processing pipelines where untrusted input files are routinely processed, as it provides an attack vector that can be exploited without requiring user interaction.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the Bento4 library to version containing the fix for the atom processing logic in AP4_AtomParent::RemoveChild. Organizations should also implement input validation measures that sanitize mp4 files before processing, particularly when dealing with untrusted content. The implementation of proper memory safety checks and bounds validation should be enforced throughout the atom processing pipeline to prevent similar issues in future versions. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for abnormal segmentation fault patterns during media processing operations can help identify exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 Network Denial of Service and potentially T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter if exploitation leads to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability highlights the importance of memory safety practices and input validation in multimedia processing libraries, emphasizing that even well-established tools can contain critical flaws that require continuous security assessment and monitoring.