CVE-2012-2800 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the ff_ivi_process_empty_tile function in libavcodec/ivi_common.c in FFmpeg before 0.11, and Libav 0.7.x before 0.7.7 and 0.8.x before 0.8.4, has unknown impact and attack vectors in which the "tile size ... mismatches parameters" and triggers "writing into a too small array."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2800 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the FFmpeg multimedia processing library that affects multiple versions of both FFmpeg and its fork Libav. This flaw exists in the ff_ivi_process_empty_tile function located in the libavcodec/ivi_common.c file, which handles processing of IVI video frames. The vulnerability manifests when the tile size parameters do not match the expected values during video frame decoding, creating a scenario where the software attempts to write data into an array that is insufficiently sized to accommodate the operation. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, though the exact vector remains unspecified in the initial description.
The technical execution of this vulnerability occurs during the decoding process of IVI video streams where the software calculates tile dimensions based on header information. When these calculated dimensions do not align with the actual parameters specified in the video stream, the system proceeds to allocate memory for a tile buffer that is smaller than required. This misalignment allows for potential memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors who craft specially formatted video files. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that FFmpeg is widely used across numerous applications and platforms for multimedia processing, including web browsers, media players, and content delivery systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially enable arbitrary code execution in vulnerable systems.
The operational implications of CVE-2012-2800 are significant for any system that processes video content using affected versions of FFmpeg or Libav. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability by embedding maliciously crafted IVI video files into websites, email attachments, or media streaming services. The vulnerability's exploitation would likely require the target system to automatically process and decode the malicious video content, which is common in web-based media players and content management systems. This makes the attack vector particularly dangerous in environments where users are exposed to untrusted multimedia content. The vulnerability's presence in widely-used libraries means that numerous applications and services could be affected, creating a broad attack surface that extends from consumer media players to enterprise content delivery networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate software updates to patched versions of FFmpeg and Libav. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to FFmpeg 0.11 or later versions, and Libav versions 0.7.7 or 0.8.4 and later to address the buffer overflow condition. Additionally, implementing input validation and sanitization measures can provide additional protection layers, particularly in environments where updating software is not immediately possible. The vulnerability's nature suggests that runtime protections such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization may offer some defense-in-depth benefits, though these are not comprehensive solutions. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based filtering to block suspicious video content and monitoring for anomalous decoding behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date multimedia libraries and implementing robust security practices in multimedia processing environments, as it demonstrates how seemingly minor parameter validation issues can lead to critical security breaches in widely-deployed software components.