CVE-2025-0518

What it actually does

Unchecked return value in libavfilter/af_pan.c permits an out-of-bounds read that exposes sensitive constants stored inside the FFmpeg executable.

Why it matters to the business

Attackers may obtain internal program data that could aid further attacks or reveal implementation details; the issue affects any application or pipeline that uses the vulnerable FFmpeg 7.1 build.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies specially crafted audio content that exercises the pan filter, triggering the unchecked return and subsequent out-of-bounds read to leak executable constants.

How to fix it

Rebuild or upgrade FFmpeg to the commit b5b6391d64807578ab872dc58fb8aa621dcfc38a or later; rebuild all dependent packages and containers that embed the affected library.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed FFmpeg binary or library was built from a tree containing commit b5b6391d64807578ab872dc58fb8aa621dcfc38a; run regression tests that exercise the pan filter with boundary inputs.

Typical attack path

1. Identify or control an FFmpeg invocation that applies the pan audio filter
2. Craft or modify input media to reach the vulnerable code path in af_pan.c
3. Trigger the unchecked return value to perform the out-of-bounds read
4. Capture the leaked constants from the resulting output or memory disclosure

How to detect it

Review process execution logs and media-processing job histories for unexpected pan-filter usage or crashes on crafted inputs; examine memory dumps or core files from FFmpeg workers for anomalous constant leakage patterns.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize updating all FFmpeg 7.1 installations and rebuilds to the fixed commit
• Scan build pipelines and container images for the vulnerable version and replace them
• Review media-processing workflows that invoke the pan filter and apply least-privilege execution contexts
• Monitor upstream FFmpeg releases for any follow-on fixes