CVE-2017-14225 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
The av_color_primaries_name function in libavutil/pixdesc.c in FFmpeg 3.3.3 may return a NULL pointer depending on a value contained in a file, but callers do not anticipate this, as demonstrated by the avcodec_string function in libavcodec/utils.c, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. (It is also conceivable that there is security relevance for a NULL pointer dereference in av_color_primaries_name calls within the ffprobe command-line program.)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14225 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the FFmpeg multimedia processing library version 3.3.3. This issue resides in the av_color_primaries_name function located in libavutil/pixdesc.c, which is responsible for handling color primary information in video files. The function's behavior becomes problematic when processing malformed input files where specific values contained within the file structure cause the function to return a NULL pointer instead of the expected color primary name string. This design flaw creates a dangerous condition where downstream functions that call av_color_primaries_name do not properly validate the return value before using it, leading to immediate system crashes when attempting to dereference the NULL pointer.
The technical impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. When the avcodec_string function in libavcodec/utils.c calls av_color_primaries_name without proper null checking, the resulting NULL pointer dereference causes the application to terminate abruptly. This behavior is particularly concerning because FFmpeg is widely integrated into multimedia applications, content management systems, and streaming platforms where processing untrusted input files is routine. The vulnerability affects not only standard FFmpeg operations but also the ffprobe command-line utility, which is commonly used for media file analysis and can be exploited in automated processing workflows. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where automated media processing is common, as attackers could craft malicious media files that trigger the crash during routine file analysis operations.
The operational implications of CVE-2017-14225 align with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1203 technique for legitimate credential use and T1059 command and scripting interpreter. This vulnerability demonstrates how a seemingly minor programming error in a core multimedia library can create significant system instability and potential denial of service conditions across numerous applications that depend on FFmpeg. The flaw is classified as a CWE-476 null pointer dereference, which represents a fundamental software engineering issue where proper error handling and input validation are missing from critical library functions. Organizations using FFmpeg in production environments face substantial risk of service disruption, particularly in content delivery networks, media processing pipelines, and applications that automatically process user-uploaded media files. The vulnerability's security relevance extends to potential exploitation in web applications, media servers, and digital asset management systems where automated processing of external media content is standard practice.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of FFmpeg installations to versions that properly handle NULL return values from av_color_primaries_name function. System administrators should implement input validation measures that prevent processing of suspicious or malformed media files, particularly in environments where user-uploaded content is common. The recommended approach includes deploying automated scanning tools that can identify potentially malicious media files before they are processed by FFmpeg-based applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms around media processing functions to contain potential crashes and prevent cascading failures. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper error handling in multimedia libraries and underscores the need for comprehensive input validation across all components that process external data. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal application termination patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, particularly in systems where FFmpeg is used for automated media processing tasks. Regular security assessments of multimedia processing pipelines are essential to identify similar issues in other third-party libraries and prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in production environments.