CVE-2014-9319 in FFMpeg
Summary
by MITRE
The ff_hevc_decode_nal_sps function in libavcodec/hevc_ps.c in FFMpeg before 2.1.6, 2.2.x through 2.3.x, and 2.4.x before 2.4.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds access) via a crafted .bit file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9319 represents a critical out-of-bounds memory access flaw within the FFMpeg multimedia framework's HEVC video decoding component. This vulnerability specifically affects the ff_hevc_decode_nal_sps function located in the libavcodec/hevc_ps.c source file, which processes Sequence Parameter Set (SPS) data within HEVC/H.265 video streams. The flaw exists in multiple version ranges including FFMpeg versions prior to 2.1.6, all 2.2.x releases through 2.3.x, and 2.4.x versions before 2.4.4, making it a widespread issue affecting numerous deployments of the multimedia processing library.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and boundary checking within the HEVC parsing logic. When processing a specially crafted .bit file containing malformed Sequence Parameter Set data, the ff_hevc_decode_nal_sps function fails to properly validate the bounds of memory operations during the parsing of video sequence parameters. This inadequate validation allows attackers to manipulate the decoding process through carefully constructed input data that exceeds expected parameter limits, resulting in memory access violations that can trigger segmentation faults or other memory corruption conditions. The vulnerability operates at the level of codec parsing and decoding, where the software assumes certain parameter values will remain within predefined ranges without proper verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be exploited remotely to disrupt multimedia processing services and applications that rely on FFMpeg for video handling. Attackers can construct malicious .bit files that, when processed by vulnerable FFMpeg implementations, will cause the application to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in server environments where FFMpeg is used to process user-uploaded video content, streaming services, or media processing pipelines. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, making it a significant threat to web applications and online services that utilize FFMpeg for video processing.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of their FFMpeg installations to versions 2.1.6, 2.3.4, or 2.4.4, depending on their current version. The fix implemented in these patched versions typically involves adding proper bounds checking and input validation to the ff_hevc_decode_nal_sps function to prevent out-of-bounds memory access. Additional mitigations include implementing strict input validation for all video files processed by FFMpeg, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file patterns, and using sandboxing techniques to isolate video processing components. From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in multimedia codecs and highlights the need for robust memory safety practices in media processing libraries that handle complex binary formats.