CVE-2026-1416 Overview
A null pointer dereference vulnerability has been discovered in GPAC, an open-source multimedia framework, affecting versions up to 2.4.0. The vulnerability exists in the DumpMovieInfo function within the file applications/mp4box/filedump.c. When exploited, this flaw allows a local attacker with user-level privileges to cause a denial of service condition by crashing the application through manipulation that triggers the null pointer dereference.
Critical Impact
Local attackers can crash GPAC applications by triggering a null pointer dereference in the media file processing functionality, leading to denial of service conditions.
Affected Products
- GPAC versions up to and including 2.4.0
- Applications using the MP4Box utility
- Systems with GPAC multimedia processing libraries
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-01-26 - CVE-2026-1416 published to NVD
- 2026-01-28 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-1416
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as a null pointer dereference (CWE-476) with an associated improper resource shutdown or release issue (CWE-404). The flaw resides in the DumpMovieInfo function within GPAC's MP4Box application, specifically in the applications/mp4box/filedump.c source file.
When processing certain crafted media files, the application fails to properly validate pointer references before use. This allows an attacker to craft malicious input that leads to dereferencing a null pointer, causing the application to crash. The vulnerability requires local access to the system and low privileges to exploit.
The exploit has been publicly released, increasing the risk of widespread abuse. However, the impact is limited to availability, as this vulnerability does not allow data exfiltration or code execution.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient validation of pointer values before dereferencing within the DumpMovieInfo function. The code path does not adequately check whether certain data structures are properly initialized before attempting to access them during media file information dumping operations. This is a common programming oversight in C/C++ applications where null checks are omitted in code paths that assume valid object states.
Attack Vector
The attack vector requires local access to the system. An attacker must be able to execute the vulnerable GPAC application (such as MP4Box) and provide a specially crafted media file as input. The attack does not require network access or elevated privileges, but does require local user-level access to invoke the vulnerable function.
The exploitation flow involves:
- Crafting a malicious media file that triggers the vulnerable code path
- Processing the file using GPAC's MP4Box utility with the dump info functionality
- The application encounters the null pointer dereference and crashes
Since no verified code examples are available, readers should refer to the GitHub Issue #3427 for detailed technical information about the vulnerability mechanics and triggering conditions.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-1416
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes of GPAC or MP4Box applications during media file processing
- Core dumps or crash reports from the DumpMovieInfo function in filedump.c
- Presence of unusual or malformed media files in processing directories
- Application logs showing segmentation faults during file dump operations
Detection Strategies
- Monitor system logs for GPAC application crashes, particularly segmentation faults
- Implement file integrity monitoring on media processing directories
- Deploy application-level crash reporting to identify null pointer dereference patterns
- Use SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect anomalous application termination patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging for GPAC applications to capture pre-crash state information
- Configure crash dump collection for forensic analysis of exploitation attempts
- Monitor for repeated crashes that may indicate exploitation attempts or fuzzing activity
- Implement rate limiting on media file processing operations
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-1416
Immediate Actions Required
- Update GPAC to a version containing the patch commit d45c264c20addf0c1cc05124ede33f8ffa800e68
- Restrict access to systems running vulnerable GPAC versions to trusted users only
- Implement input validation for media files before processing with GPAC utilities
- Consider sandboxing GPAC applications to limit crash impact
Patch Information
A patch has been identified and committed to address this vulnerability. The fix is available in commit d45c264c20addf0c1cc05124ede33f8ffa800e68. Organizations should apply this patch to their GPAC installations as soon as possible.
Additional details about the vulnerability and patch can be found in the GPAC GitHub Issue #3427.
Workarounds
- Avoid using the MP4Box dump info functionality on untrusted media files until patched
- Run GPAC applications in isolated containers or sandboxed environments
- Implement strict file validation before processing media files with GPAC
- Limit local access to systems running GPAC to essential personnel only
# Build GPAC from source with the security patch applied
git clone https://github.com/gpac/gpac.git
cd gpac
git checkout d45c264c20addf0c1cc05124ede33f8ffa800e68
./configure
make
sudo make install
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
