CVE-2013-0866
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe aac_decode_init function in libavcodec/aacdec.c in FFmpeg before 1.0.4 and 1.1.x before 1.1.2 allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via a large number of channels in an AAC file, which triggers an out-of-bounds array access.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceBuffer overflow vulnerability in FFmpeg's AAC audio decoder (aac_decode_init function in libavcodec/aacdec.c). The function fails to properly validate the number of audio channels specified in an AAC file, allowing crafted files with an excessive channel count to trigger an out-of-bounds array access.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 1.0.2= 0.3= 0.3.1= 0.3.2= 0.3.3= 0.3.4= 0.4.0= 0.4.2= 0.4.3= 0.4.4= 0.4.5= 0.4.6CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed FFmpeg versionRun 'ffmpeg -version' or 'ffmpeg -buildconf' to display the version number and build configurationAffected if Version is 1.0.2 or earlier, or falls within the 0.3.x to 0.4.6 release range (0.3, 0.3.1, 0.3.2, 0.3.3, 0.3.4, 0.4.0, 0.4.2, 0.4.3, 0.4.4, 0.4.5, 0.4.6)
-
Confirm AAC decoder is availableRun 'ffmpeg -decoders' or check build configuration output for 'aac' and 'aac_decoder' entries under libavcodecAffected if The aac decoder is enabled in the FFmpeg build
-
Identify if the application processes AAC audio filesSearch application logs, configuration, or source code for AAC file extensions (.aac, .m4a, .mp4 audio) or 'aac' codec usageAffected if The environment decodes or processes AAC audio files from untrusted sources
You are affected if your installed FFmpeg version is within the vulnerable range (0.3 to 1.0.2 inclusive) and your system processes AAC audio files using the aac_decode_init function.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade FFmpeg to version 1.0.4 or later (for the 1.0.x branch) or 1.1.2 or later (for the 1.1.x branch) to include proper channel count validation bounds checking.
FFmpeg 1.0.4 or later (1.0.x branch), or FFmpeg 1.1.2 or later (1.1.x branch), or latest stable release
- 1. Identify the current FFmpeg version installed using: ffmpeg -version
- 2. If using FFmpeg 0.3.x, 0.3.1.x, 0.3.2.x, or 1.0.x through 1.0.2.x: upgrade to FFmpeg 1.0.4 or later in the 1.0.x stable branch
- 3. If using FFmpeg 1.1.x through 1.1.1: upgrade to FFmpeg 1.1.2 or later in the 1.1.x stable branch
- 4. Alternatively, upgrade to the latest stable release available from ffmpeg.org/download.html
- 5. Verify the upgrade was successful by running: ffmpeg -version and confirming the version number is 1.0.4+, 1.1.2+, or newer
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,648.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2013-0866 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2013-0866 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data