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FfmpegApplication

CVE-2016-6671

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2016-12-23
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 3.1.1 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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 · unedited
The raw_decode function in libavcodec/rawdec.c in FFmpeg before 3.1.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted SWF file.

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 confidence

A memory corruption vulnerability exists in FFmpeg's raw_decode function in libavcodec/rawdec.c. When processing a crafted SWF file containing malformed raw video data, the parser can write beyond allocated buffer boundaries, leading to heap corruption and potential arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability affects all FFmpeg versions prior to 3.1.2.

MitigationUpdate FFmpeg to version 3.1.2 or later to patch the vulnerable raw_decode function. If update is not immediately feasible, restrict untrusted SWF file processing and implement input validation at application boundaries.

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
FfmpegApplication
Affected:<= 3.1.1

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed FFmpeg version
    Run `ffmpeg -version` or `ffmpeg -buildconf` to display the version number
    Affected if Version is 3.1.1 or lower (any version prior to 3.1.2)
  2. Identify SWF file processing
    Review application logs, traffic, or file intake processes for incoming .swf files
    Affected if The environment processes SWF files as input
  3. Verify raw video decoding is in use
    Check if FFmpeg is decoding raw video (RGB, RGBA, or similar formats) within SWF containers - inspect FFmpeg debug output with `-loglevel debug` or check decoder configuration
    Affected if Raw video decoding is enabled and being used on SWF input
  4. Confirm libavcodec rawdec.c is loaded
    Inspect loaded libraries or dependencies - run `ldd $(which ffmpeg)` or check for libavcodec presence in the runtime environment
    Affected if libavcodec is in use for the vulnerable code path

Environment is affected if FFmpeg version is 3.1.1 or lower AND the system processes SWF files using raw video decoding.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

From vendor data
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 3.1.1
Interim mitigation

Update FFmpeg to version 3.1.2 or later to patch the vulnerable raw_decode function. If update is not immediately feasible, restrict untrusted SWF file processing and implement input validation at application boundaries.

Fix this in Ffmpeg Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,080
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,328.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-6671 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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