CVE-2022-38019 in AV1 Video Extension
Summary
by MITRE • 09/13/2022
AV1 Video Extension Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2025
The CVE-2022-38019 vulnerability represents a critical remote code execution flaw within the AV1 Video Extension component, which serves as a foundational element in modern video processing frameworks. This vulnerability specifically affects systems that utilize the AV1 codec for video encoding and decoding operations, particularly in environments where multimedia applications process untrusted video content. The flaw resides in how the extension handles certain malformed video data structures during the decoding process, creating a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of applications including web browsers, media players, and video processing software that rely on AV1 codec implementations for video handling capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a buffer overflow condition within the AV1 decoder's parsing logic. When processing specially crafted video frames containing malformed data structures, the decoder fails to properly validate input parameters, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution. This flaw operates at the kernel level in many implementations, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass standard user-mode protections and directly compromise system integrity. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which represents a well-known class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that have historically been exploited for privilege escalation and remote code execution attacks. The attack vector requires only the presentation of maliciously crafted video content to the vulnerable system, making it highly accessible to threat actors.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-38019 extends beyond simple exploitation, as it can enable full system compromise when combined with other attack techniques. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and potentially move laterally within network environments. The vulnerability affects multiple software vendors including browser vendors and multimedia framework developers, creating widespread exposure across the digital ecosystem. Organizations utilizing video processing capabilities in their applications face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and service disruption. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software components means that even organizations with robust security postures may be vulnerable if they have not applied the relevant patches or updates.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch management across all affected systems and applications. Software vendors have released security updates addressing the buffer overflow condition in the AV1 decoder implementation, which should be deployed as a priority. Network administrators should implement content filtering measures to prevent the processing of untrusted video content where possible, particularly in environments where users may encounter malicious media files. Additional protective measures include implementing sandboxing mechanisms for video processing applications, enabling memory protection features such as DEP and ASLR, and monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in multimedia processing components, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through media processing applications. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted video processing software and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures for potential exploitation events.