CVE-2022-43252 is a heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability identified in libde265 version 1.0.8, specifically within the function put_epel_16_fallback in the fallback-motion.cc source file. Libde265 is an open-source H.265/HEVC video decoder library used to decode video streams encoded with the HEVC standard. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory buffers when processing crafted video files, leading to a heap buffer overflow condition. This flaw can be triggered remotely by an attacker supplying a maliciously crafted video file to any application or system component that utilizes libde265 for video decoding. Exploitation does not require any privileges (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as opening or streaming the malicious video. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5, categorized as medium severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no impact on confidentiality or integrity (C:N/I:N), but causing a high impact on availability (A:H) through denial of service (DoS). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked, indicating the need for vigilance and proactive mitigation. The underlying weakness corresponds to CWE-787, which involves out-of-bounds writes leading to memory corruption. Given libde265’s role in video decoding, this vulnerability primarily threatens applications that process HEVC video streams, including media players, streaming platforms, and embedded systems that rely on this library for video playback or processing.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-43252 is the potential for denial of service conditions in systems that utilize libde265 for HEVC video decoding. This can disrupt services such as video streaming platforms, media playback in enterprise environments, digital signage, and any embedded devices processing video content. Although the vulnerability does not allow for confidentiality or integrity breaches, the availability impact can lead to service outages, degraded user experience, and operational interruptions. Organizations in sectors relying heavily on multimedia content delivery—such as broadcasting, telecommunications, media production, and digital advertising—may face increased risk. Additionally, critical infrastructure or industrial control systems that incorporate video analytics or surveillance using libde265 could experience temporary outages, affecting monitoring capabilities. The requirement for user interaction means that social engineering or phishing campaigns delivering malicious video files could be an attack vector, increasing the risk in environments with less controlled user behavior. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate threat levels but does not eliminate the risk, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time.

To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2022-43252, European organizations should: 1) Identify all systems and applications using libde265, including embedded devices and third-party software, to understand exposure. 2) Monitor vendor advisories and community repositories for patches or updated versions of libde265 that address this vulnerability, and apply updates promptly once available. 3) Implement strict input validation and sandboxing for applications that process video files, limiting the ability of malformed files to cause system-wide impact. 4) Employ network-level controls such as filtering and scanning of video file attachments or streams to detect and block potentially malicious content. 5) Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or untrusted video files, especially from unknown sources, to reduce the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability via social engineering. 6) Where feasible, replace or supplement libde265 with alternative, actively maintained video decoding libraries that have addressed similar vulnerabilities. 7) Use application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 8) For critical systems, consider isolating video processing components to minimize the blast radius of a potential DoS event.