# CVE-2025-8586: libav MPEG File Parser utils.c ff_seek_frame_binary null pointer dereference

> A local attacker can cause a denial of service via null pointer dereference in libav's MPEG parser, affecting unsupported software.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hw46-xx2p-6vfg, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-8586

## What is CVE-2025-8586?

CVE-2025-8586 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Libav Libav, published on 5 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in libav up to 12.3. This affects the function ff_seek_frame_binary of the file /libavformat/utils.c of the component MPEG File Parser. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The bug was initially reported by the researcher to the wrong project. This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), CWE-404 (Improper Resource Shutdown or Release)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-8586?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Libav Libav.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-8586?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-8586 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-8586 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-8586 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Libav Libav

- [CVE-2014-3984](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3984/): Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Libav before 0.8.12 allow remote attackers to have unknown impact and vectors. (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2017-9051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9051/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-4609](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4609/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-9719](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9719/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-5766](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5766/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-8586 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-8586 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Libav Libav, published on 5 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-8586 exists.

Affected product: Libav Libav. 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-2025-8586/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8586/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-8586
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8586
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-8586

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8586/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.