CVE-2021-3497

Application crash or code execution via stale reference

Published Apr 19, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in GStreamer Good Plug-ins before 1.18.4 allows context-dependent attackers to crash applications via malformed Matroska files. The Matroska demuxer error-handling paths release an object and then access the stale reference while unwinding the failed parse. A victim application must process the crafted file; the resulting memory corruption can crash the process or execute code with that application's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in GStreamer Good Plug-ins before 1.18.4 allows context-dependent attackers to crash applications via malformed Matroska files. The Matroska demuxer error-handling paths release an object and then access the stale reference while unwinding the failed parse. A victim application must process the crafted file; the resulting memory corruption can crash the process or execute code with that application's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3497
Published
Apr 19, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
GStreamer Project
Product
GStreamer Good Plug-ins
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 19, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=gstreamer-plugins-good 1.18.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GStreamer Project · GStreamer Good Plug-insversion=gstreamer-plugins-good 1.18.4

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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