CVE-2026-107698 in FFmpeg
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2026
FFmpeg before 7.1.4 and 8.0.x before 8.0.2 contains a server-side request forgery vulnerability in ff_rtsp_connect() in libavformat/rtsp.c that follows RTSP 3xx redirects without validating the Location URL. Malicious RTSP servers can redirect FFmpeg to internal hosts and ports under other schemes, bypassing -protocol_whitelist, to probe internal network services.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2026
The vulnerability identified in versions of FFmpeg prior to 7.1.4 and 8.0.x before 8.0.2 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw within the RTSP protocol handling logic. Specifically, the defect resides in the ff_rtsp_connect function located in libavformat/rtsp.c. The core technical issue stems from an insufficient validation of redirect responses received from remote media servers. When an FFmpeg client processes an RTSP stream that returns a 3xx redirection status code, it automatically follows the Location header to establish a new connection with the target server. However, this implementation fails to perform adequate security checks on the URL provided in the Location field before initiating the subsequent request. This lack of validation allows for the manipulation of the destination address and protocol scheme by an attacker controlling or compromising the initial RTSP source.
This architectural weakness enables malicious actors to exploit FFmpeg as a proxy for probing internal network infrastructure, effectively bypassing security controls designed to restrict outbound connections. In typical deployment scenarios, administrators configure FFmpeg with strict protocol whitelists using flags such as -protocol_whitelist to limit access to safe protocols like http or https and prevent the client from accessing sensitive local resources via file:// or other dangerous schemes. The vulnerability circumvents these restrictions because the RTSP redirect mechanism does not strictly enforce the whitelist constraints on the final destination URL when following a 3xx response. Consequently, an attacker can craft a malicious RTSP stream that redirects FFmpeg to internal IP addresses and ports running services such as databases, administrative interfaces, or other sensitive network assets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for any environment where FFmpeg is used to process untrusted media streams from external sources. Attackers can leverage the client's elevated privileges and network access to perform reconnaissance against private networks that are otherwise isolated from direct internet exposure. By directing traffic through internal hosts, adversaries can map out network topology, identify vulnerable services, and potentially pivot further into the protected environment. This behavior aligns with common attack patterns observed in enterprise environments where media processing tools are inadvertently turned into vectors for lateral movement or data exfiltration preparation. The ability to bypass protocol whitelists undermines a primary defense-in-depth strategy employed by security teams managing multimedia pipelines.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability corresponds to CWE-918 Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), which describes flaws where a web server retrieves a specified resource from a user-supplied URL without proper validation of the destination. Additionally, it maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1572 Protocol Tunneling, as attackers use established protocols like RTSP to hide malicious traffic and bypass network security controls. The exploitation relies on the trust relationship between the client application and the initial server endpoint, highlighting a failure in input validation for redirect targets.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade FFmpeg to version 7.1.4 or later, where the ff_rtsp_connect function has been patched to validate Location URLs against configured protocol whitelists before following redirects. For environments unable to patch immediately, it is imperative to restrict network access for systems running vulnerable versions of FFmpeg using firewall rules that block outbound connections to internal IP ranges and non-standard ports. Furthermore, input validation should be enforced at the application layer by ensuring that any user-supplied media URLs are sanitized and verified against a strict allowlist before being passed to the library. Monitoring logs for unusual RTSP redirect patterns can also aid in detecting potential exploitation attempts in real-time.