CVE-2026-18296
Received Received - Intake

Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GStreamer MRF File Parsing

Publication date: 2026-08-20

Last updated on: 2026-08-20

Assigner: Zero Day Initiative

Description
GStreamer MRF File Parsing Heap-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of GStreamer. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of MRF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-29608.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-20
Last Modified
2026-08-20
Generated
2026-08-20
AI Q&A
2026-08-20
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-18296
EUVD
EUVD-2026-63445

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
gst_project gstreamer *
gstreamer gstreamer *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-122 A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc().

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

This is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in GStreamer, a multimedia framework. It occurs during the parsing of MRF files due to insufficient validation of user-supplied data length before copying it to a heap-based buffer. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as visiting a malicious page or opening a malicious file, and can lead to remote code execution.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for vulnerable versions of GStreamer. Inspect installed packages using commands like 'gst-inspect-1.0 --version' or 'apt list --installed | grep gstreamer' on Debian-based systems. Compare versions against the patched release from GStreamer's security advisory.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to execute arbitrary code on your system with the same privileges as the current process. This could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or system compromise. Since user interaction is required, the risk is higher if you frequently handle untrusted MRF files or visit untrusted websites.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exfiltration, violating GDPR's confidentiality requirements or HIPAA's safeguards for protected health information. Organizations must address this flaw to maintain compliance with data protection regulations.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update GStreamer to the latest patched version as recommended by the vendor. Disable MRF file parsing if not required. Avoid opening untrusted files or visiting suspicious websites to prevent exploitation through user interaction.

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