CVE-2020-22042Network attack vector

Service interruption via leaked filter-graph allocations

Published Jun 1, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Memory leak in FFmpeg 4.2 allows remote attackers to interrupt service by triggering an error while a filter graph is initialized. During error cleanup, fftools/ffmpeg.c fails to free each output filter's temporary AVFilterInOut allocation, so failed initialization retains memory. Exploitation requires a user to process attacker-controlled input that reaches the failing filter-graph path; repeated failures can exhaust memory and stop the FFmpeg process.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.93%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in FFmpeg 4.2 allows remote attackers to interrupt service by triggering an error while a filter graph is initialized. During error cleanup, fftools/ffmpeg.c fails to free each output filter's temporary AVFilterInOut allocation, so failed initialization retains memory. Exploitation requires a user to process attacker-controlled input that reaches the failing filter-graph path; repeated failures can exhaust memory and stop the FFmpeg process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-22042
Published
Jun 1, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 1, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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