TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative
 

Apple QuickTime PICT File PackBits Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-10-261: December 7th, 2010

CVE ID

CVSS Score

Affected Vendors

Affected Products

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Apple QuickTime. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the application's implementation of a custom compression algorithm. The application will trust a field within a DirectBitsRect structure which is used for an allocation, and later attempt to decompress data into this buffer. Due to the value for the allocation being different from the length of the data being decompressed a buffer overflow will occur which can lead to code execution with the privileges of the application.

Vendor Response

Apple has issued an update to correct this vulnerability. More details can be found at:

Disclosure Timeline

    2010-06-01 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
    2010-12-07 - Coordinated public release of advisory

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by:
    Damian Put
    Procyun
    Andrzej Dyjak