CVE-2013-0870 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
The vp3_decode_frame function in FFmpeg 1.1.4 moves threads check out of header packet type check.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0870 resides within the FFmpeg multimedia framework version 1.1.4, specifically within the vp3_decode_frame function. This flaw represents a critical issue in the handling of video packet processing where the software's thread management logic has been improperly restructured. The vulnerability stems from the removal of a crucial header packet type check that previously occurred before thread operations were initiated. This change creates a dangerous condition where threads may be spawned and executed without proper validation of the incoming video packet structure, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a fundamental restructuring of the decoding pipeline where the sequence of operations has been altered in a manner that compromises the integrity of the thread safety mechanisms. When FFmpeg processes VP3 video streams, it typically employs multithreading to improve performance by distributing decoding tasks across multiple processor cores. However, the modification in CVE-2013-0870 removes the essential validation that ensures only appropriate packet types are processed by the threading system. This change creates a race condition scenario where malformed or unexpected packet data can trigger thread operations that were not designed to handle such inputs, leading to potential memory corruption or unauthorized code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple functional failures and presents significant security risks to systems processing multimedia content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious VP3 video files that, when processed by vulnerable FFmpeg installations, can cause threads to execute with corrupted or unexpected data. This exploitation vector can lead to arbitrary code execution, denial of service conditions, or information disclosure depending on how the threading system handles the malformed inputs. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because FFmpeg is widely used across numerous applications and platforms, making the potential attack surface extensive. The flaw aligns with CWE-691, which addresses insufficient control flow management in multithreaded applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through multimedia processing components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0870 require immediate patching of affected FFmpeg installations to version 1.1.5 or later where the threading logic has been properly restored to include the necessary header packet validation checks. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation for multimedia content, sandboxing of media processing components, and monitoring for unusual thread behavior or resource consumption patterns. Network security teams should consider implementing content filtering rules that can detect and block potentially malicious multimedia files before they reach vulnerable systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper control flow integrity in multithreaded systems and serves as a reminder of how seemingly minor code restructuring changes can introduce significant security vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments of multimedia processing libraries and maintaining up-to-date software versions remain essential practices for preventing exploitation of similar threading-related vulnerabilities.