CVE-2025-60493 in MP4Box
Summary
by MITRE • 10/22/2026
A segmentation violation in the check_media_profile function (/mp4box/mp4box.c) of GPAC Project/MP4Box before 2.5 allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via supplying a crafted MP4 file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2026
The vulnerability identified within the GPAC Project's MP4Box utility, specifically in versions prior to 2.5, represents a critical memory safety issue rooted in improper handling of input data during media profile validation. The core technical flaw resides within the check_media_profile function located in the mp4box.c source file. This component is responsible for analyzing and validating the structural integrity of MP4 container files before processing or playback. When an attacker supplies a specially crafted, malformed MP4 file, the application fails to adequately validate bounds or data types associated with media profile attributes. This lack of rigorous input validation leads directly to a segmentation violation, commonly known as a segfault, which occurs when the program attempts to access memory that it is not permitted to access. In this context, the crafted payload likely triggers an out-of-bounds read or write operation during the parsing logic, causing the application process to crash immediately upon execution of the vulnerable code path.
From a security architecture perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, Out-of-Bounds Read, and potentially CWE-787, Out-of-Bounds Write, depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism triggered by the malformed input. The operational impact is primarily characterized as a Denial of Service against users or automated systems relying on MP4Box for media processing tasks such as conversion, analysis, or streaming preparation. While modern implementations often run with restricted privileges to mitigate broader system compromise, the immediate effect remains the termination of the application process. For end-users manually invoking the tool, this results in data loss if unsaved work is present and requires manual restart. In automated environments where MP4Box might be integrated into pipelines for video processing or content delivery networks, such crashes can disrupt service availability, cause pipeline failures, and necessitate resource-intensive recovery procedures to restore normal operations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability does not typically lead to remote code execution in standard configurations due to the nature of segmentation faults terminating the process rather than allowing arbitrary instruction injection. However, if MP4Box is executed with elevated privileges or within a sandboxed environment that relies on continuous availability for security monitoring or content filtering services, the impact escalates significantly. Attackers can leverage this flaw to exhaust system resources by repeatedly triggering crashes in automated batch processing systems, effectively creating a persistent denial of service condition without needing complex exploit chains beyond crafting the specific malformed MP4 structure.
Mitigation strategies focus primarily on software updates and defensive programming practices. The most effective remediation is upgrading GPAC Project/MP4Box to version 2.5 or later, where developers have addressed these memory safety issues through improved input validation and bounds checking within the check_media_profile function. For environments unable to update immediately, deploying a proxy or gateway that inspects incoming MP4 files for structural anomalies can provide an additional layer of defense. Implementing strict file type verification using libraries like libmagic before passing files to MP4Box ensures that only well-formed media containers are processed by the vulnerable component. Additionally, running MP4Box in restricted user accounts with minimal permissions limits the potential blast radius should a crash occur or if future vulnerabilities allow for privilege escalation attempts. Regular auditing of third-party dependencies and maintaining an inventory of installed versions is essential to prevent exposure to known memory corruption flaws in multimedia processing tools.