Apple QuickTime Player for Windows contains buffer overflow in processing of overly long QuickTime URLs

Overview

Apple’s QuickTime Player is a player for files and streaming media in the QuickTime format. Versions of the player are available for both the Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS platforms. A flaw in the version for Windows could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

Description

A buffer overflow exists in the QuickTime Player for Windows’ handling of overly long URL of the type quicktime://... A specially crafted URL consisting of a long string of characters can cause the QuickTime Player to crash or allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code of their choosing with the privileges of the user running the QuickTime Player.

The URL containing the exploit code may be hosted on a webpage, introduced via HTML email, or presented to the user in another fashion that encourages them to browse to it.

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Impact

If the QuickTime player software is instructed to load a URL that is specially crafted by an attacker, arbitrary code can be executed under the privileges of the QuickTime user. This crafted URL may be supplied on a webpage or in email for the victim to select, or some other means designed to encourage them to invoke the QuickTime Player using the exploit URL.

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Solution

Apply a patch from the vendor

Apple has released a patch to address this vulnerability; please see the vendor section of this document for further details.

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Removing the QuickTime handler from the web browser or removing the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/quicktime registry key may prevent automatic exploitation through HTML pages.

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Vendor Information

112553

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Updated: April 01, 2003

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

APPLE-SA-2003-03-31 QuickTime Player for Windows

A potential vulnerability in Apple's QuickTime Player for Windows could allow a remote attacker to compromise a target system. This exploit is only possible if the attacker can convince a user to load a specially crafted QuickTime URL. Upon successful exploitation, arbitrary code can be executed under the privileges of the QuickTime user.
CVE Candidate ID: CAN-2003-0168
Versions affected: QuickTime Player versions 5.x and 6.0 for Windows. QuickTime Player for Mac OS and Mac OS X are not affected.
Recommendation: Install QuickTime version 6.1 for Windows
`QuickTime 6.1 for Windows is available via:
<http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/>

• or -
  “Update Existing Software” menu item in QuickTime Player
  Credit to Texonet (<http://www.texonet.com/>) for discovering this
  vulnerability.
  Apple Product Security
  <http://www.apple.com/support/security/&gt;`

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

The CERT/CC has no additional comments at this time.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23112553 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

<http://www.idefense.com/advisory/03.31.03.txt&gt;

Acknowledgements

This vulnerability was discovered by the staff at Texonet and reported by iDEFENSE Labs.

This document was written by Chad R Dougherty.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2003-0168
Severity Metric:	15.68 Date Public: