Path traversal in FFmpeg IMF demuxer lets attackers open files
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · None · None
- Fix status
- Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-22 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
FFmpeg from 5.0 through 9.0.2 contains a path traversal flaw (CWE-22) in its IMF demuxer. The demuxer accepts unvalidated ASSETMAP Path elements, so paths containing '..' or absolute paths are opened outside the package. A remote attacker who supplies a crafted IMF package can read local MXF files, probe file existence and size, or trigger server-side requests once a user opens it.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05
Description from the CNA
FFmpeg 5.0 through 9.0.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the IMF demuxer that allows attackers to open files outside the package via unvalidated ASSETMAP Path elements. Attackers can supply a crafted IMF package with '..' or absolute paths to demux local MXF files, probe file existence and size, or trigger server-side requests.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for FFmpeg. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3 and Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) as affected with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-31 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-120210
- 2026-10-31 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-31 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-31 Alias added: GHSA-437x-xcvf-w98c
- 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
More FFmpeg vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-19015 FFmpeg git-master before commit d5873b was discovered to contain a memory leak in the component libavutil/iamf.c. CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-21238 FFmpeg 7.0 contains a heap-buffer-overflow at libavfilter/vf_tiltandshift.c:189:5 in copy_column. CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2023-06050 Ffmpeg: null pointer dereference in ffmpeg hls parsing CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-28420 Buffer Overflow vulnerability in Ffmpeg v.N113007-g8d24a28d06 allows a local attacker to… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
- TI-2023-27357 FFmpeg v.n6.1-3-g466799d4f5 allows a heap-based buffer overflow via the… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
- TI-2023-27044 Buffer Overflow vulnerability in FFmpeg version n6.1-3-g466799d4f5, allows a local… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
Sources
- CVE-2026-120210 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-120210 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-437x-xcvf-w98c · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-120210 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences