security: FlightTelemetryTools stop apt auto-install of ffmpeg (Wed Oct 7, 2026 ET)

Author: ztel42

FlightTelemetryTools/README.md

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Optional recorded speed tags also accepted when present: `H.S …m/s`, `[h_spd:
 ## Requirements
 
 - Python 3.10+ (**stdlib only** for parse / GPX / KML)
-- **ffmpeg** (+ ffprobe) for the `burn` HUD command only
+- **ffmpeg** (+ ffprobe) for the `burn` HUD command only — install via your OS package manager (`apt`, `brew`, `dnf`, …). The tool does **not** auto-install packages.
 - `pytest` for tests
 
 ---
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 python -m pytest
 ```
 
-Fixtures under `tests/fixtures/` cover classic font-wrapped, bracket Mini-style, and GPS-function / H.S dialects, plus missing-GPS cues. The burn test generates a short silent lavfi MP4 (no drone footage required) and skips only if ffmpeg cannot be installed.
+Fixtures under `tests/fixtures/` cover classic font-wrapped, bracket Mini-style, and GPS-function / H.S dialects, plus missing-GPS cues. The burn test generates a short silent lavfi MP4 (no drone footage required) and skips if ffmpeg/ffprobe are not already on PATH.
 
 ---
 
@@ -123,6 +123,12 @@ FlightTelemetryTools/
 
 ---
 
+## Changelog
+
+- **Wed Oct 7, 2026 ET** — Removed silent `apt-get` auto-install of ffmpeg. HUD burn now errors clearly if ffmpeg/ffprobe are missing; install them yourself via your package manager.
+
+---
+
 ## License
 
 For portfolio demonstration. Use only with footage and sidecars you own or are authorized to process.

FlightTelemetryTools/flight_telemetry/hud.py

@@ -18,25 +18,21 @@ def ffmpeg_available() -> bool:
 
 
 def ensure_ffmpeg() -> str:
-    """Return path to ffmpeg, attempting a package install if missing."""
+    """Return path to ffmpeg, or raise if it (or ffprobe) is not on PATH.
+
+    Does not install packages. Install ffmpeg and ffprobe via your OS
+    package manager, e.g. ``apt install ffmpeg``, ``brew install ffmpeg``,
+    or ``dnf install ffmpeg``.
+    """
     path = shutil.which("ffmpeg")
-    if path:
+    if path and shutil.which("ffprobe"):
         return path
-    # Best-effort install on this Linux box (Debian/Ubuntu style).
-    for cmd in (
-        ["apt-get", "update"],
-        ["apt-get", "install", "-y", "ffmpeg"],
-    ):
-        try:
-            subprocess.run(cmd, check=False, capture_output=True, timeout=180)
-        except (OSError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
-            break
-    path = shutil.which("ffmpeg")
-    if not path:
-        raise RuntimeError(
-            "ffmpeg is required for HUD burn but could not be found or installed"
-        )
-    return path
+    raise RuntimeError(
+        "ffmpeg is required for HUD burn but was not found on PATH. "
+        "Install it with your package manager "
+        "(e.g. apt install ffmpeg, brew install ffmpeg, dnf install ffmpeg) "
+        "and ensure both ffmpeg and ffprobe are available."
+    )
 
 
 def _fmt_speed(frame: TelemetryFrame) -> str:

FlightTelemetryTools/tests/test_hud.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""HUD burn tests (skip only if ffmpeg truly unavailable after install attempt)."""
+"""HUD burn tests (skip if ffmpeg/ffprobe not on PATH)."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -19,13 +19,15 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def ffmpeg_ready() -> bool:
-    if ffmpeg_available():
-        return True
-    try:
+    return ffmpeg_available()
+
+
+def test_ensure_ffmpeg_missing(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "flight_telemetry.hud.shutil.which", lambda _name: None
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="Install it with your package manager"):
         ensure_ffmpeg()
-        return ffmpeg_available()
-    except RuntimeError:
-        return False
 
 
 def test_ass_generation(bracket_srt: Path) -> None:
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ def test_burn_hud_on_generated_video(
     bracket_srt: Path, tmp_path: Path, ffmpeg_ready: bool
 ) -> None:
     if not ffmpeg_ready:
-        pytest.skip("ffmpeg could not be installed on this system")
+        pytest.skip("ffmpeg/ffprobe not available on PATH")
     video = make_silent_test_video(tmp_path / "src.mp4", duration_s=4.0)
     frames = parse_srt_file(bracket_srt)
     out = tmp_path / "hud.mp4"

README.md

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Most folders are copies of the original repositories. `FileIntegrityCheckerSHA25
 
 ## Changelog
 
+- **Wed Oct 7, 2026 ET** — `FlightTelemetryTools`: removed silent apt-get auto-install of ffmpeg; HUD burn errors clearly if ffmpeg is missing. See that folder’s README.
 - **Wed Oct 7, 2026 ET** — Added `PreFlightGoNoGo`: METAR + NOAA Kp + sun times → FLY / MARGINAL / DON'T FLY. See that folder’s README.
 - **Sun Oct 4, 2026 ET** — Added `FlightTelemetryTools`: DJI `.SRT` → GPX/KML flight tracks and ffmpeg altitude/speed HUD burn. See that folder’s README.
 - **Sat Sep 26, 2026 ET** — SharePoint hardening on `main` ([017c0c1](https://github.com/ztel42/PythonCollection/commit/017c0c1ca80fe428f7801ecf12727f8faca1dae7)): path traversal fix in `PythonSharePointLibraryAutoZip`; OData datetime validation in `PythonSharePointAutoPull`. See each folder’s `README.txt`.