CVE-2025-27091: OpenH264 Decoding Functions Heap Overflow Vulnerability
First published: Thu Feb 20 2025(Updated: )
OpenH264 is a free license codec library which supports H.264 encoding and decoding. A vulnerability in the decoding functions of OpenH264 codec library could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to trigger a heap overflow. This vulnerability is due to a race condition between a Sequence Parameter Set (SPS) memory allocation and a subsequent non Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (non-IDR) Network Abstraction Layer (NAL) unit memory usage. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious bitstream and tricking a victim user into processing an arbitrary video containing the malicious bistream. An exploit could allow the attacker to cause an unexpected crash in the victim's user decoding client and, possibly, perform arbitrary commands on the victim's host by abusing the heap overflow. This vulnerability affects OpenH264 2.5.0 and earlier releases. Both Scalable Video Coding (SVC) mode and Advanced Video Coding (AVC) mode are affected by this vulnerability. OpenH264 software releases 2.6.0 and later contained the fix for this vulnerability. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability. ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * [Open an issue in cisco/openh264](https://github.com/cisco/openh264/issues) * Email Cisco Open Source Security ([oss-security@cisco.com](mailto:oss-security@cisco.com)) and Cisco PSIRT ([psirt@cisco.com](mailto:psirt@cisco.com)) ### Credits: * **Research:** Octavian Guzu and Andrew Calvano of Meta * **Fix ideation:** Philipp Hancke and Shyam Sadhwani of Meta * **Fix implementation:** Benzheng Zhang (@BenzhengZhang) * **Release engineering:** Benzheng Zhang (@BenzhengZhang)
Credit: security-advisories@github.com
| Affected Software | Affected Version | How to fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cisco OpenH264 | <2.6.0 |
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Reference Links
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-27091?
CVE-2025-27091 has a high severity rating due to the potential for remote, unauthenticated heap overflow attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2025-27091?
To address CVE-2025-27091, update your Cisco OpenH264 library to version 2.6.0 or later.
What types of attacks can CVE-2025-27091 facilitate?
CVE-2025-27091 can facilitate remote code execution attacks due to a heap overflow vulnerability.
Which versions of Cisco OpenH264 are affected by CVE-2025-27091?
CVE-2025-27091 affects Cisco OpenH264 versions up to and including 2.5.0.
Is CVE-2025-27091 a local or remote vulnerability?
CVE-2025-27091 is a remote vulnerability, allowing attackers to exploit it without authentication.
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