# CVE-2021-21842: Integer overflow in GPAC Project

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a malicious MPEG-4 video file processed by the GPAC library.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 25 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-21842, GHSA-w47j-5q3w-vfp6, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-21842

## What is CVE-2021-21842?

CVE-2021-21842 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Aug 2021. 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

An exploitable integer overflow vulnerability exists within the MPEG-4 decoding functionality of the GPAC Project on Advanced Content library v1.0.1. A specially crafted MPEG-4 input can cause an integer overflow when processing an atom using the 'ssix' FOURCC code, due to unchecked arithmetic resulting in a heap-based buffer overflow that causes memory corruption. An attacker can convince a user to open a video to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-680 (Integer Overflow to Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21842?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Gpac Gpac.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21842?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-21842 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21842 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21842 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21842 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Aug 2021. 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-2021-21842 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2021-21842/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21842/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21842
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21842
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21842

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21842/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.