How to remediate – Apple QuickTime Unsupported on Windows

1. Introduction

Apple QuickTime is installed on your Windows computers, but Apple no longer provides security updates for it. This means known vulnerabilities will not be fixed and attackers could exploit them. Systems running unsupported software are at increased risk of compromise. A successful attack could lead to the execution of malicious code with user-level privileges, potentially impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

2. Technical Explanation

Apple QuickTime for Windows is no longer supported by Apple. This lack of support means security vulnerabilities discovered in QuickTime will not be patched. The last version released for Windows had known vulnerabilities related to processing atom indexes. An attacker can exploit these by tricking a user into opening a malicious file or visiting a compromised website, leading to heap corruption within QuickTime and arbitrary code execution.

• Root cause: Lack of vendor support and unpatched security vulnerabilities in the QuickTime software.
• Exploit mechanism: An attacker crafts a malicious file (e.g., a .mov file) or website containing specially crafted atom indexes that, when processed by QuickTime, trigger heap corruption.
• Scope: Windows systems with any version of Apple QuickTime installed.

3. Detection and Assessment

You can check for the presence of QuickTime on your systems using several methods. A quick check is to look in Programs and Features. For a more thorough assessment, you can use system inventory tools or vulnerability scanners.

• Quick checks: Check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features for “Apple QuickTime”.
• Scanning: Nessus plugin ID 104239 (Apple QuickTime Detection) may identify the presence of QuickTime. This is an example only, other scanners may have similar capabilities.
• Logs and evidence: No specific logs directly indicate QuickTime presence; rely on inventory or program lists.

wmic product get name | findstr "Apple QuickTime"

4. Solution / Remediation Steps

The recommended solution is to uninstall Apple QuickTime from affected systems. This removes the unsupported software and eliminates the associated security risk.

4.1 Preparation

• Dependencies: No known dependencies exist. Roll back by reinstalling QuickTime (not recommended).
• Change window needs: Standard change control procedures apply. Approval from IT security may be needed.

4.2 Implementation

1. Step 1: Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
2. Step 2: Locate “Apple QuickTime” in the list of installed programs.
3. Step 3: Right-click on “Apple QuickTime” and select “Uninstall”.
4. Step 4: Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
5. Step 5: Restart the system if prompted.

4.3 Config or Code Example

No configuration changes are needed; this is an application removal.

Before

Apple QuickTime installed on the system

After

Apple QuickTime not found in Programs and Features.

4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability

• Practice 1: Software Inventory – Regularly scan systems to identify all installed software, including end-of-life applications.
• Practice 2: Patch Management – Implement a process for regularly reviewing and applying security patches or removing unsupported software.

4.5 Automation (Optional)

#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
$QuickTimeDisplayName = "Apple QuickTime"
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*$QuickTimeDisplayName*"} | ForEach-Object {
  Uninstall-Package $_.Name -Force
}

5. Verification / Validation

• Post-fix check: Check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features; “Apple QuickTime” should not be listed.
• Re-test: Run `wmic product get name | findstr “Apple QuickTime”` in a command prompt; no output should be returned.
• Smoke test: Verify basic system functions (e.g., web browsing, file opening) still work as expected.

wmic product get name | findstr "Apple QuickTime"

6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring

Update your software inventory baseline to include a check for unsupported applications like Apple QuickTime. Implement automated checks in your CI/CD pipeline or deployment process to prevent the installation of end-of-life software. Establish a regular patch review cycle to identify and address vulnerable software promptly.

• Baselines: Update security baselines (e.g., CIS benchmarks) to flag unsupported applications.
• Pipelines: Add checks in CI/CD pipelines to prevent installation of end-of-life software packages.
• Asset and patch process: Review installed software monthly for vulnerabilities and end-of-life status.

7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back

Uninstalling QuickTime may break functionality in older applications that rely on it (rare). There are no known service impacts from the uninstallation itself. To roll back, reinstall QuickTime (not recommended due to security risks).

• Risk or side effect 2: No known service impacts from the uninstallation process itself.
• Roll back: 1. Locate and download a QuickTime installer (not recommended). 2. Run the installer to reinstall QuickTime. 3. Restart the system if prompted.

8. References and Resources

Refer to Apple’s support page for information about end-of-life software, and security advisories from Zero Day Initiative for details on QuickTime vulnerabilities.

• Vendor advisory or bulletin: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205771
• NVD or CVE entry: Not applicable, as this is a general end-of-life issue rather than a specific vulnerability.
• Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: No specific documentation exists for uninstalling QuickTime; refer to standard Windows program removal procedures.