CVE-2026-66038: FFmpeg LCL/ZLIB Video Decoder Information Disclosure via lcldec.c
FFmpeg through 8.1.2, fixed in commit 8670835, contains an information disclosure vulnerability in the LCL/ZLIB video decoder that allows attackers to expose uninitialized heap memory by supplying a valid zlib stream that inflates to fewer bytes than the expected frame size. The zlibdecomp() function in lcldec.c treats short decompression as non-fatal and continues to the RGB24 conversion path, which copies a full frame's worth of rows from the allocation buffer using original frame dimensions, causing uninitialized heap contents including pointer-derived allocator bytes to be copied into the attacker-observable AVFrame output and potentially defeating ASLR in long-lived media processing services.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
FFmpeg LCL/ZLIB video decoder (lcldec.c)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in commit 8670835Patch 8670835
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-66038?
CVE-2026-66038 has a medium severity rating with a score of 6.5.
How do I fix CVE-2026-66038?
To fix CVE-2026-66038, you should update FFmpeg to version 8.1.3 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched.
What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-66038?
CVE-2026-66038 is an information disclosure vulnerability in the LCL/ZLIB video decoder of FFmpeg.
What does CVE-2026-66038 affect?
CVE-2026-66038 affects FFmpeg versions up to 8.1.2.
What can attackers do with CVE-2026-66038?
Attackers can exploit CVE-2026-66038 to expose uninitialized heap memory by supplying a valid zlib stream.