CVE-2023-4679

What it actually does

Use-after-free in gf_filterpacket_del leads to double-free and process crash during packet handling in the filter core.

Why it matters to the business

Media processing applications become unavailable due to crashes when handling malformed input, affecting content pipelines and playback services.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies specially crafted media content that triggers the use-after-free during filter packet cleanup, resulting in a double-free and application termination.

How to fix it

Upgrade gpac/gpac to commit b68b3f0bf5c366e003221d78fd663a1d5514a876 or later.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed build contains commit b68b3f0bf5c366e003221d78fd663a1d5514a876; re-test with known triggering media samples to verify absence of crash.

Typical attack path

1. Deliver malicious media file or stream to GPAC-based application
2. Trigger packet allocation and subsequent deletion path in filter_core
3. Force use-after-free condition in gf_filterpacket_del
4. Cause double-free and application crash

How to detect it

Review application and system logs for segmentation faults or double-free errors originating from filter.c during packet processing.

What your security team should do

• Apply the fixed commit immediately in all build and deployment pipelines
• Scan dependency graphs for any GPAC versions prior to the fix
• Monitor for application crashes in media processing workloads