CVE-2013-0873 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
The read_header function in libavcodec/shorten.c in FFmpeg before 1.1.3 allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via an invalid channel count, related to "freeing invalid addresses."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0873 resides within the FFmpeg multimedia framework's libavcodec library, specifically in the read_header function located in the shorten.c file. This flaw represents a critical memory management issue that affects versions prior to 1.1.3, creating potential security risks for any application or system that relies on FFmpeg for audio processing. The vulnerability manifests when the system encounters a malformed audio file with an invalid channel count parameter, triggering unpredictable behavior in the underlying memory handling mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of channel count parameters during the header reading process for shortened audio files. When FFmpeg processes audio data with malformed channel count specifications, the read_header function fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting memory operations. This deficiency creates a scenario where the software may attempt to free memory addresses that were never allocated or have already been freed, leading to memory corruption. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a CWE-415: Double Free or CWE-416: Use After Free, depending on the specific execution path taken during the memory management error.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0873 extends beyond simple program crashes, as it creates potential for remote code execution in vulnerable environments. Attackers can craft malicious audio files with invalid channel count values that, when processed by affected FFmpeg versions, trigger the memory corruption vulnerability. This makes the flaw particularly dangerous in web applications, media servers, or any system that automatically processes user-uploaded audio content. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could potentially allow for arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, or information disclosure depending on the specific memory layout and exploitation context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of FFmpeg installations to versions 1.1.3 or later, where the memory management issues have been addressed through proper input validation and memory handling procedures. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all FFmpeg-dependent applications are updated promptly. Additionally, input validation should be enhanced at application layers that utilize FFmpeg, implementing strict parameter checking and sanitization before any audio processing occurs. Network-level protections such as content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect potential exploitation attempts through malformed audio file processing. Organizations relying on FFmpeg for media processing should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning and regular security assessments to identify similar memory safety issues that may exist in their multimedia processing pipelines.