CVE-2021-3522

Application crash via incorrect ID3v2 frame-size check

Published Jun 2, 2021 · Updated May 28, 2026

Out-of-bounds read in GStreamer Base Plug-ins before 1.18.4 allows local users to crash media applications via crafted ID3v2 tags. The id3v2_parse_frame parser checks the overall header frame size rather than the remaining frame_data_size before reading a four-byte data-length value. Exploitation requires an application to process a malicious media file; the resulting invalid read can terminate that application.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability5.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds read in GStreamer Base Plug-ins before 1.18.4 allows local users to crash media applications via crafted ID3v2 tags. The id3v2_parse_frame parser checks the overall header frame size rather than the remaining frame_data_size before reading a four-byte data-length value. Exploitation requires an application to process a malicious media file; the resulting invalid read can terminate that application.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3522
Published
Jun 2, 2021
Updated
May 28, 2026
Vendor
GStreamer Project
Product
GStreamer Base Plug-ins
Classifications
CWE-125, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 2, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 2026Record 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=All GStreamer version before 1.18.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GStreamer Project · GStreamer Base Plug-insversion=All GStreamer version before 1.18.4

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.3NVDAV: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1204.002Malicious 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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