Integer Overflow in FFmpeg HEIF Parsing

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a signed integer overflow in FFmpeg versions before 9.0. It occurs in the libavformat/mov.c file when processing a crafted HEIF ispe box. The issue involves storing uint32_t width and height values into signed int fields without proper bounds checking. Values exceeding INT_MAX become negative, leading to undefined behavior during accumulation in read_image_grid(). On x86 systems, this causes integer wrap-around to a small positive value, bypassing downstream validity checks.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves signed integer overflow in FFmpeg's handling of HEIF ispe boxes. Detection requires checking FFmpeg versions and analyzing media files for malformed HEIF boxes. Use 'ffmpeg -version' to check installed versions. Scan media files with 'ffprobe -show_frames' or 'mediainfo' for suspicious width/height values in HEIF metadata. No direct network detection commands are available.

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Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to cause denial of service, execute arbitrary code, or bypass security mechanisms by crafting malicious media files. Systems processing untrusted HEIF files with FFmpeg before 9.0 are at risk of crashes or unintended behavior due to the integer overflow.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards. The issue involves signed integer overflow in FFmpeg's handling of HEIF files, which could lead to undefined behavior but does not inherently violate data protection or privacy regulations.

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Mitigation Strategies

Update FFmpeg to version 9.0 or later to address the signed integer overflow in libavformat/mov.c. Avoid processing untrusted HEIF files until patched.

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