CVE-2021-38090Network attack vector

Process crash via Roberts gradient integer overflow

Published Sep 20, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Integer overflow in FFmpeg 4.2.1's Roberts video filter allows attackers to crash a process by supplying crafted 16-bit video. The filter16_roberts routine stores pixel-gradient differences in signed integers and squares them before floating-point conversion, allowing overflow during edge-magnitude calculation. Processing attacker-supplied 16-bit video is required, and successful triggering interrupts the FFmpeg process; no code execution or data access is established.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Integer overflow in FFmpeg 4.2.1's Roberts video filter allows attackers to crash a process by supplying crafted 16-bit video. The filter16_roberts routine stores pixel-gradient differences in signed integers and squares them before floating-point conversion, allowing overflow during edge-magnitude calculation. Processing attacker-supplied 16-bit video is required, and successful triggering interrupts the FFmpeg process; no code execution or data access is established.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38090
Published
Sep 20, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-190, CWE-120, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 20, 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

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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-190Integer Overflow or Wraparound
CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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