# CVE-2025-1816: FFmpeg IAMF File iamf_parse.c audio_element_obu memory leak

> A memory leak in FFmpeg's IAMF file handler allows remote attackers to cause denial of service via crafted media files.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 2 Mar 2025
- **Updated:** 3 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-1816, GHSA-77wf-7c6r-cx8j, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-1816

## What is CVE-2025-1816?

CVE-2025-1816 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in FFmpeg, published on 2 Mar 2025. 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

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in FFmpeg up to 6e26f57f672b05e7b8b052007a83aef99dc81ccb. This affects the function audio_element_obu of the file libavformat/iamf_parse.c of the component IAMF File Handler. The manipulation of the argument num_parameters leads to memory leak. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of the patch is 0526535cd58444dd264e810b2f3348b4d96cff3b. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue.

Weakness: CWE-404 (Improper Resource Shutdown or Release), CWE-401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-1816?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-1816?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-1816 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-1816 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-1816 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-1816 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in FFmpeg, published on 2 Mar 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-1816 exists.

Affected product: FFmpeg. 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-2025-1816/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1816/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-1816
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-1816
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-1816

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1816/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.