CVE-2019-11339 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE
The studio profile decoder in libavcodec/mpeg4videodec.c in FFmpeg 4.0 before 4.0.4 and 4.1 before 4.1.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-array access) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted MPEG-4 video data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11339 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within the FFmpeg multimedia framework that affects versions prior to 4.0.4 and 4.1.2. This issue resides in the studio profile decoder component located in libavcodec/mpeg4videodec.c, specifically targeting the handling of MPEG-4 video streams. The flaw manifests when processing crafted malicious MPEG-4 video data that exploits improper bounds checking during the decoding process. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which encompasses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to system instability and potential exploitation. The attack vector involves remote exploitation through crafted video content that, when processed by vulnerable FFmpeg implementations, triggers memory access violations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of studio profile parameters within MPEG-4 video streams. When FFmpeg attempts to decode MPEG-4 video data using the studio profile decoder, it fails to properly validate the bounds of array accesses during parameter parsing. This deficiency allows attackers to craft video streams containing malformed studio profile data that causes the decoder to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw specifically impacts the MPEG-4 video decoder's ability to handle studio profile extensions, where the parser does not adequately verify the size and structure of incoming data before attempting to read from arrays. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or cause system disruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11339 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment. While the primary effect is a denial of service through out-of-array access that can crash applications using FFmpeg, the vulnerability may also provide opportunities for information disclosure or arbitrary code execution in certain contexts. The vulnerability affects a wide range of applications that utilize FFmpeg for video processing including media players, streaming servers, content management systems, and video transcoding services. This broad impact is particularly concerning as FFmpeg is integrated into numerous commercial and open-source applications, making the attack surface extensive across multiple industries including entertainment, telecommunications, and cybersecurity infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate software updates to FFmpeg versions 4.0.4 or 4.1.2 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the buffer over-read condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems utilizing FFmpeg are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include deploying input validation mechanisms at network boundaries to filter potentially malicious video content before it reaches FFmpeg processing components. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques and memory protection features such as address space layout randomization to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date multimedia libraries and implementing robust input validation controls in applications that process untrusted media content.