CVE-2022-3953 in Exiv2
Summary
by MITRE • 11/11/2022
A vulnerability was found in Exiv2. It has been classified as problematic. This affects the function QuickTimeVideo::multipleEntriesDecoder of the file quicktimevideo.cpp of the component QuickTime Video Handler. The manipulation leads to infinite loop. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The name of the patch is 771ead87321ae6e39e5c9f6f0855c58cde6648f1. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-213459.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2026
The vulnerability in Exiv2 represents a critical security flaw within the QuickTime Video Handler component that manifests through the QuickTimeVideo::multipleEntriesDecoder function in quicktimevideo.cpp. This issue has been categorized as problematic due to its potential for causing system instability and resource exhaustion. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the video processing pipeline, where malformed QuickTime video data can trigger an infinite loop condition during decoding operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the multipleEntriesDecoder function processes malformed QuickTime video metadata entries without adequate boundary checks or loop termination conditions. This allows an attacker to craft specially formatted video files that will cause the decoder to enter an infinite loop, consuming excessive CPU resources and potentially leading to denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger this condition through network-based file processing operations without requiring local system access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that process user-uploaded video content or handle QuickTime video files from untrusted sources. The infinite loop behavior can lead to complete system resource exhaustion, making applications unavailable to legitimate users and potentially affecting entire service availability. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-835 which addresses infinite loops in software implementations, and represents a classic example of how malformed input data can be weaponized to cause denial of service attacks.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying the official patch identified by the commit hash 771ead87321ae6e39e5c9f6f0855c58cde6648f1, which contains the necessary code modifications to prevent the infinite loop condition. Organizations should prioritize this patch deployment across all systems that utilize Exiv2 for video metadata processing, particularly those handling untrusted input files. Additional protective measures include implementing strict file validation procedures, setting resource limits on processing operations, and establishing monitoring for unusual CPU usage patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK framework's T1499 technique related to network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage software flaws to exhaust system resources. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign multimedia processing functionality can become a vector for system compromise when proper input sanitization is lacking. Organizations using Exiv2 should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments and consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms around video processing operations to contain potential impacts should similar vulnerabilities be discovered in the future.