A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability has been discovered in the widely used open-source multimedia library libde265. The affected GitHub repository is strukturag/libde265, and the vulnerability impacts all versions up to and including 1..8. In this article, we will walk through the details of this vulnerability, known as CVE-2022-1253, including the vulnerable code snippet, original references, and exploit details.
Vulnerable Code Snippet
The vulnerability exists in the way the library handles certain input data leading to a heap-based buffer overflow. The problem lies in the mishandling of arrays during the process of decoding a specially crafted video bitstream. For instance, a larger-than-expected value may cause an out-of-bounds write operation, which can lead to arbitrary code execution, denial of service, or information disclosure.
Exploit Details
An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious video file, which, when processed with the vulnerable version of libde265, may trigger the heap-based buffer overflow. This could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the application using the library, and potentially compromise the system.
Original References
This vulnerability was identified by researchers, and the details are available in the following security advisory:
- libde265 Security Advisory
Fix and Mitigation
The issue has been addressed in commit 8e89fee175d287c39486fdd09250b230ec10b8, which implements the necessary fixes to mitigate the vulnerability. However, as of now, this commit has not been included in an official release. It is recommended to apply the patch from the mentioned commit to mitigate the vulnerability until an official release is available. Users should also consider updating to the latest version of the library when it becomes available.
Conclusion
CVE-2022-1253 demonstrates the criticality of handling input data securely in software libraries like libde265. Proper validation, bounds checking, and error handling can help prevent such vulnerabilities and protect systems from potential security threats.
It is important for developers and system administrators to be aware of this vulnerability, monitor the affected project's GitHub repository for updates, and apply the necessary fixes to maintain the security of their systems.
Timeline
Published on: 04/06/2022 12:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 04/14/2022 17:52:00 UTC