CVE-2021-40941 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

In Bento4 1.6.0-638, an allocator is out of memory, leading to a denial of service vulnerability as demonstrated by GPAC.

Understanding CVE-2021-40941

This CVE involves an allocator issue in Bento4, posing a risk of denial of service.

What is CVE-2021-40941?

In Bento4 1.6.0-638, a specific function may encounter an allocator out-of-memory condition, potentially triggering a denial of service attack.

The Impact of CVE-2021-40941

The vulnerability can result in a denial of service (DOS) attack, affecting the availability of the software and potentially the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-40941

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw lies in the function AP4_Array<AP4_TrunAtom::Entry>::EnsureCapacity in Ap4Array.h:172, leading to the allocator running out of memory.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Versions: Bento4 1.6.0-638
Vendor: n/a
Product: n/a

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could craft malicious inputs to trigger the allocator out-of-memory condition, launching a denial of service attack.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems against CVE-2021-40941 with the following measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement patches or updates provided by the vendor promptly.
Monitor system resources for unusual memory allocation patterns.
Restrict access to critical systems to authorized personnel.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities.
Educate staff on best practices for secure coding and software development.

Patching and Updates

Keep software up to date with the latest security patches to address known vulnerabilities.