CVE-2025-3887 in GStreamer
Summary
by MITRE • 05/22/2025
GStreamer H265 Codec Parsing Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GStreamer. Interaction with this library is required to exploit this vulnerability but attack vectors may vary depending on the implementation.
The specific flaw exists within the parsing of H265 slice headers. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-26596.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2026
The CVE-2025-3887 vulnerability represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow in the GStreamer H265 codec parsing component that exposes systems to remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability resides within the H265 slice header parsing functionality of the GStreamer multimedia framework, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread use of this library in multimedia applications across various platforms. The flaw specifically manifests when processing user-supplied H265 video data, where insufficient input validation leads to unsafe memory operations that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain arbitrary code execution privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking during the parsing of H265 slice headers, which directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow. The implementation fails to properly validate the length of user-provided data before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer, creating a classic buffer overflow condition. This weakness allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling code injection attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires interaction with the vulnerable GStreamer library, but the attack surface varies significantly based on how the library is integrated into different applications and systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-3887 extends across multiple attack vectors and system environments where GStreamer is deployed, including media players, streaming servers, and multimedia processing applications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through crafted H265 video streams delivered via network channels, making it particularly dangerous for web-based media applications and content delivery systems. The remote code execution capability allows adversaries to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation would enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands through the compromised media processing pipeline.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-3887 should prioritize immediate patching of affected GStreamer versions, as this represents a critical security flaw requiring urgent attention. Organizations should implement network segmentation and content filtering to prevent potentially malicious H265 streams from reaching vulnerable systems. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious H265 media traffic patterns may provide early warning capabilities. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted multimedia content processing and regularly monitor system logs for anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw makes comprehensive monitoring and rapid response protocols essential for maintaining system security posture.