CVE-2025-57613 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the rust-ffmpeg library version 0.3.0, specifically introduced after commit 5ac0527. The issue is a null pointer dereference occurring in the input() constructor function. This vulnerability arises when the avio_alloc_context() function call fails and returns a NULL pointer. The returned NULL pointer is then stored within the Io struct and subsequently dereferenced in the Drop implementation of this struct. Since dereferencing a NULL pointer leads to undefined behavior, this results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, causing the affected application or service to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction to be exploited and can be triggered remotely if an attacker can supply crafted input that causes avio_alloc_context() to fail. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), which is a common programming error leading to application crashes. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity level due to its network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact is limited to availability, with no confidentiality or integrity loss. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or fixes have been linked yet. This vulnerability affects software components that use rust-ffmpeg 0.3.0 for media processing, particularly those that rely on the input() constructor function and the avio_alloc_context() call for input context allocation.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for denial of service attacks against applications or services that incorporate rust-ffmpeg 0.3.0, especially those handling media input streams. This could disrupt business operations, particularly in sectors relying heavily on media processing such as broadcasting, streaming services, telecommunications, and multimedia content providers. The DoS condition could lead to service outages, degraded user experience, and potential financial losses due to downtime. Additionally, organizations providing critical infrastructure or services that utilize rust-ffmpeg for media handling might face operational risks and reputational damage if exploited. Since the vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, data breaches are unlikely; however, service availability interruptions can still have significant operational consequences. The lack of required privileges or user interaction means attackers can remotely trigger the DoS, increasing the risk surface for exposed services. European organizations should be aware of this vulnerability, especially those deploying rust-ffmpeg in production environments or embedded systems.

To mitigate CVE-2025-57613, organizations should first identify all instances where rust-ffmpeg 0.3.0 is used, particularly focusing on components that utilize the input() constructor function. Until an official patch is released, developers should implement defensive programming practices such as explicitly checking the return value of avio_alloc_context() for NULL before storing or dereferencing it. Adding robust error handling to gracefully manage allocation failures will prevent the null pointer dereference and subsequent crashes. Application-level mitigations include deploying runtime monitoring and crash detection to quickly identify and respond to DoS conditions. Network-level protections such as rate limiting and input validation can reduce the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability via malformed inputs. Organizations should also track updates from rust-ffmpeg maintainers and apply patches promptly once available. For critical systems, consider isolating or sandboxing media processing components to limit the impact of potential crashes. Finally, conducting thorough code reviews and fuzz testing around the affected functions can help uncover similar issues proactively.