FFmpeg 4.2 "Ada", a new major release, is now available! Some of the highlights:

tpad filter
AV1 decoding support through libdav1d
dedot filter
chromashift and rgbashift filters
freezedetect filter
truehd_core bitstream filter
dhav demuxer
PCM-DVD encoder
GIF parser
vividas demuxer
hymt decoder
anlmdn filter
maskfun filter
hcom demuxer and decoder
ARBC decoder
libaribb24 based ARIB STD-B24 caption support (profiles A and C)
Support decoding of HEVC 4:4:4 content in nvdec and cuviddec
removed libndi-newtek
agm decoder
KUX demuxer
AV1 frame split bitstream filter
lscr decoder
lagfun filter
asoftclip filter
Support decoding of HEVC 4:4:4 content in vdpau
colorhold filter
xmedian filter
asr filter
showspatial multimedia filter
VP4 video decoder
IFV demuxer
derain filter
deesser filter
mov muxer writes tracks with unspecified language instead of English by default
added support for using clang to compile CUDA kernels

We strongly recommend users, distributors, and system integrators to upgrade unless they use current git master.

Also: FFmpeg 4.2 Released With AV1 Decoding Support, GIF Parser

• German security Agency Found Serious Security Flaw in VLC Media Player

  But Jean Baptiste Kempf, President of VideoLAN and lead VLC developer brushed aside that as not a big deal in three separate comments.

• No, VLC Media Player won’t put you or your data at risk (with official statement)

  Popular open-source software, VLC Media Player has been diagnosed with a critical vulnerability. The vulnerability CVE-2019-13615 was identified by German security agency CERT-Bund.

  The vulnerability would allow hackers to gain access to the host computer and install/run programs or even modify files without knowledge of the user. CERT-Bund has given it a score of 9.8 out of 10. The vulnerability affects Windows, Linux and Unix platforms. macOS, on the other hand, is unaffected by the vulnerability. The VideoLAN team, on the other hand, has denied the existence of the vulnerability.

• Critical flaw in VLC media player leaves PCs exposed, VideoLAN says otherwise

  Reportedly, the bug doesn't affect macOS users so they can continue using the software without any problems. Those on either Windows, Linux or Unix are advised to practice caution as things proceed because it's rather tricky to pick a side between the German Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-Bund) who first brought the issue to light or VideoLAN, the non-profit organization behind the open-source media player.

• VLC Media Player Hit by Critical Security Flaw That Allows Remote Code Execution, VideoLAN Currently Working on a Patch

• Critical vulnerability found in VLC Media Player

  Germany's national Computer Emergency Response Team issued a security alert for a critical vulnerability in VLC Media Player

• Here's Why You Need To Uninstall VLC Media Player Right Now! [Ed: The most ludicrous article on this subject]

  The flaw in VLC was discovered by German security agency CERT which they classified as “critical” with a vulnerability score of 9.8. The bug lets attackers remotely execute code (RCE) which potentially allows them to install, modify and run software without authorization or approval, and could even be used to access files on your system. Basically, VLC’s bug could allow hackers to hijack your system.

• VLC Media Player Has A Massive Security Flaw And Here's How You Can Stay Safe

• VLC Media Player Has a Critical Security Flaw Right Now

• VLC Vulnerability Allows Hackers To Hijack Your PC; Developers Unable To Reproduce Issue

  VLC is a very popular multi-platform media player.

• You Don't Need to Uninstall VLC from Your Computer [Updated] [Ed: Shame on Lifehacker. Spreading propaganda and FUD. It published the headline "You Might Want To Uninstall VLC. Right Now. Immediately." It has since then been removed.]

  News broke today that the VLC Media Player—immensely popular and Lifehacker-recommended—allegedly has a pretty severe bug that could allow allow a “booby-trapped” video, as The Register put it, to either crash the player or execute remote code. The former? An annoyance. The latter? A huge security issue, one that’d we recommend uninstalling VLC to address until its creator, VideoLAN, comes out with a patch.

• You Might Want to Uninstall VLC. Immediately. [Ed: Gizmodo did not fact-check. Like a true tabloid.]

  Because of its free and open-source nature, VLC is one of, if not the most popular cross-platform media player in the world. Unfortunately, a newfound and potentially very serious security flaw discovered in VLC means you might want to uninstall it until the folks at the VideoLAN Project can patch the flaw.

Two months have passed since our last bugfix release and already we have a new one ready...

Also: Kodi 18.3 Adds DTS-HD Audio Track Support To Its Music Player, Various Fixes

It’s often said that macOS is the best platform for video- and photo-editing, but that isn’t necessarily true. You can edit videos professionally using a PC running Linux, so long as you have the right video-editing software installed.

In most cases, video-editing software for Linux is free to use. That makes it a great platform for budget-focused hobbyists and professionals alike to start cutting up their content. If you want to get started, here are four of the best Linux video editors for you to try.