# CVE-2015-4493: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a heap-based buffer overflow in Firefox's MPEG-4 video parsing, requiring user interaction to view malicious content.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Aug 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8mf7-p7xv-mq52, UBUNTU-CVE-2015-4493

## What is CVE-2015-4493?

CVE-2015-4493 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 16 Aug 2015. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the stagefright::ESDS::parseESDescriptor function in libstagefright in Mozilla Firefox before 40.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x before 38.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an invalid size field in an esds chunk in MPEG-4 video data, a related issue to CVE-2015-1539.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-4493?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Opensuse Opensuse, Oracle Solaris.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-4493?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2015-4493 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-4493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-4493 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-4493 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 16 Aug 2015. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-4493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4493/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4493/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-4493
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-4493
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-4493

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4493/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.