CVE-2011-3973

CVE-2011-3973 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ffmpeg with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (83rd percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-399
• Affected product: Ffmpeg
• Published: 2011-10-02
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

cavsdec.c in libavcodec in FFmpeg before 0.7.4 and 0.8.x before 0.8.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (incorrect write operation and application crash) via an invalid bitstream in a Chinese AVS video (aka CAVS) file, related to the decode_residual_block, check_for_slice, and cavs_decode_frame functions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-3362.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2011-3973?

cavsdec.c in libavcodec in FFmpeg before 0.7.4 and 0.8.x before 0.8.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (incorrect write operation and application crash) via an invalid bitstream in a Chinese AVS video (aka CAVS) file, related to the decode_residual_block, check_for_slice, and cavs_decode_frame functions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-3362.

How severe is CVE-2011-3973?

CVE-2011-3973 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2011-3973 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2011-3973?

CVE-2011-3973 primarily affects Ffmpeg. In total, 28 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2011-3973?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2011-3973 published?

CVE-2011-3973 was published on 2011-10-02 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=bd968d260aef322fb32e254a3de0d2036c57bd56
• http://www.ffmpeg.org/releases/ffmpeg-0.7.5.changelog
• http://www.ffmpeg.org/releases/ffmpeg-0.8.4.changelog
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:074
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:075
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:076

Affected products (28)

• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.4.9:pre1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:ffmpeg:ffmpeg:0.8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Ffmpeg

• CVE-2013-0864 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The gif_copy_img_rect function in libavcodec/gifdec.c in FFmpeg before 1.1.2 performs an incorrect calculation for an…
• CVE-2013-4265 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The av_reallocp_array function in libavutil/mem.c in FFmpeg before 2.0.1 has an unspecified impact and remote vectors…
• CVE-2013-0873 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The read_header function in libavcodec/shorten.c in FFmpeg before 1.1.3 allows remote attackers to have an unspecified…
• CVE-2013-0872 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The swr_init function in libswresample/swresample.c in FFmpeg before 1.1.3 allows remote attackers to have an…
• CVE-2011-3937 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The H.263 codec (libavcodec/h263dec.c) in FFmpeg 0.7.x before 0.7.12, 0.8.x before 0.8.11, and unspecified versions…
• CVE-2012-2804 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Unspecified vulnerability in libavcodec/indeo3.c in FFmpeg before 0.11 and Libav 0.8.x before 0.8.5 has unknown impact…

All CVEs affecting Ffmpeg →

Other CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2015-8104 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel through 4.2.6, and Xen 4.3.x through 4.6.x, allows guest OS users to cause a…
• CVE-2015-0339 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0335 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0333 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2014-4121 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2 does not properly parse internationalized…
• CVE-2014-0560 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.12 and 11.x before 11.0.09 on Windows and OS…

Browse all CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities →