# CVE-2016-9445: GStreamer integer overflow in vmnc decoder

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-9445-gstreamer-integer-overflow-in-vmnc-decoder  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2017-01-23. Updated: 2026-05-13  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2016-9445 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2017-01-23

GStreamer is a widely used multimedia framework that allows applications to play and process video and audio files. A vulnerability in its VMware video decoding component allows a remote attacker to crash applications using the library or potentially execute unauthorized code. This could lead to service disruptions or a full system compromise if a user opens a specially crafted video file.

Technologies: [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gstreamer), [Red Hat Gstreamer-Plugins-Bad-Free](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gstreamer-plugins-bad-free). Vendors: [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gstreamer), [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-9445 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2016-9445 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2016-9445?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 23 January 2017.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat Gstreamer-Plugins-Bad-Free Enterprise Linux 6, Enterprise Linux 7.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-9445?** A patch was published on 2016-12-21: Red Hat released security updates for RHEL 6 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2016-9445 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-9445?** Check whether you run Gstreamer or Red Hat Gstreamer-Plugins-Bad-Free at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the vmnc (VMware VMnc) decoder within the GStreamer 'bad' plugins package. The flaw occurs when the decoder processes video files with excessively large width and height values, leading to an incorrect memory allocation size for the render buffer. This results in a heap-based buffer overflow. A remote attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious video file to an application using GStreamer, potentially achieving arbitrary code execution or causing a denial of service (crash). The vulnerability was addressed in GStreamer's vmncdec.c and various Linux distribution updates.

## Affected products

- GStreamer Project GStreamer 1.10.0
- Red Hat gstreamer-plugins-bad-free Enterprise Linux 6, Enterprise Linux 7

## Timeline

- 2016-11-18: disclosed: Initial public disclosure via oss-security mailing list
- 2016-12-21: patched: Red Hat released security updates for RHEL 6
- 2017-01-05: patched: Red Hat released security updates for RHEL 7
- 2017-01-23: advisory: NVD publication date

## References

- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2974.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2974.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0018.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0018.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0021.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0021.html)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/18/12](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/18/12)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/18/13](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/18/13)
- [http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94421](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94421)
- [https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=774533](https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=774533)

## Related threats

- [GStreamer MXF demuxer off-by-one buffer write](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125707-a-flaw-was-found-in-gstreamer-s-mxf-demuxer-when-an-application)
- [GStreamer core buffer value deserialization use-after-free](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125704-a-use-after-free-flaw-was-found-in-gstreamer-core-buffer-value)
- [GStreamer integer overflow in AV1 LEB128 parser](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119729-a-flaw-was-found-in-gstreamer-an-integer-overflow-vulnerability)
- [GStreamer rtpL16depay heap-based buffer overflow](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-111183-gstreamer-rtpl16depay-heap-based-buffer-overflow-remote-code)
- [GStreamer rtpsbcdepay use-after-free in RTP SBC payload parsing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-18299-gstreamer-rtpsbcdepay-use-after-free-in-rtp-sbc-payload-parsing)