CVE-2022-43152 in tsMuxer
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2022
tsMuxer v2.6.16 was discovered to contain a heap overflow via the function BitStreamWriter::flushBits() at /tsMuxer/bitStream.h.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-43152 affects tsMuxer version 2.6.16 and represents a critical heap overflow condition within the BitStreamWriter::flushBits() function located in the /tsMuxer/bitStream.h file. This issue arises from improper memory management during bit stream processing operations, where the application fails to adequately validate input data boundaries before writing to allocated memory regions. The heap overflow occurs when the application attempts to flush bits to a buffer without sufficient bounds checking, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious data.
The technical flaw manifests when tsMuxer processes media files containing specially crafted bit stream data that triggers the vulnerable code path. During the flushBits operation, the application calculates the number of bits to be written and attempts to write them to a heap-allocated buffer. However, the validation logic fails to properly account for the actual buffer size limits, leading to writes that exceed allocated memory boundaries. This memory corruption vulnerability can result in arbitrary code execution, denial of service conditions, or information disclosure depending on the specific memory layout and exploitation circumstances. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through command and scripting interpreter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it represents a significant security risk for systems processing multimedia content through tsMuxer. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious media files that trigger the heap overflow during normal processing operations, potentially leading to remote code execution on systems running vulnerable versions. The vulnerability affects both local and remote exploitation scenarios, particularly in environments where tsMuxer is used to process untrusted input files from external sources. Organizations utilizing tsMuxer for video encoding, muxing, or transcoding operations face elevated risk, especially in automated processing environments where input validation may be insufficient. The vulnerability demonstrates poor memory safety practices and highlights the importance of proper bounds checking in low-level bit stream manipulation routines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-43152 should prioritize immediate patching of tsMuxer to version 2.6.17 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the heap overflow condition. System administrators should implement strict input validation procedures for all media files processed through tsMuxer, including file format verification and size limitation checks. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable versions of the software. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to reduce exploit reliability. Regular security assessments of multimedia processing pipelines and vulnerability scanning of all system components using tsMuxer are recommended to identify similar memory safety issues. The fix implemented in subsequent versions addresses the core issue by adding proper bounds checking to the BitStreamWriter::flushBits() function, ensuring that bit stream operations respect allocated buffer boundaries and preventing unauthorized memory overwrites.