CVE-2013-7017 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
libavcodec/jpeg2000.c in FFmpeg before 2.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (invalid pointer dereference) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JPEG2000 data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7017 represents a critical security flaw within the FFmpeg multimedia framework's JPEG2000 decoding component. This issue exists in the libavcodec/jpeg2000.c file and affects FFmpeg versions prior to 2.1, making it a significant concern for systems that process JPEG2000 image files. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms within the JPEG2000 decoder, which fails to properly validate malformed or crafted data structures before attempting to process them.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as an invalid pointer dereference condition that occurs when FFmpeg attempts to decode maliciously constructed JPEG2000 data streams. When the decoder encounters malformed data, it proceeds to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or validated, resulting in a crash of the application. This behavior falls under CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereferences, though the actual implementation in this case involves invalid pointer dereference patterns that can lead to system instability. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the crafted data may potentially trigger additional undefined behaviors that could be exploited for more severe consequences.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to any system or application that relies on FFmpeg for multimedia processing, particularly those handling untrusted input from web services, file uploads, or network streams. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in web applications or content delivery systems where JPEG2000 files might be processed automatically. The potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that while the primary effect is denial of service, there may be additional security implications including information disclosure or privilege escalation opportunities that could be leveraged by sophisticated attackers.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2013-7017 primarily involves upgrading to FFmpeg version 2.1 or later, which includes patches specifically designed to address the invalid pointer dereference conditions in the JPEG2000 decoder. System administrators should also implement input validation measures at the application level to filter or reject suspicious JPEG2000 data before it reaches the FFmpeg processing layer. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential attackers. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and represents a classic example of how multimedia processing libraries can become attack vectors when proper input sanitization is not implemented. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated FFmpeg versions to ensure compatibility with existing applications while maintaining security posture against this and related vulnerabilities.