# CVE-2016-9807: GStreamer out-of-bounds read in FLIC decoder

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-9807-gstreamer-out-of-bounds-read-in-flic-decoder  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2017-01-13. Updated: 2026-05-13  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2016-9807 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.5 · Published 2017-01-13

GStreamer is a widely used multimedia framework that allows applications to play and process video and audio files. A vulnerability in its media decoding component could allow a specially crafted video file to crash any application using the library. This could lead to a denial of service for users attempting to view malicious media content.

Technologies: [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gstreamer). Vendors: [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gstreamer), [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-9807 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2016-9807 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2016-9807?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.5, published 13 January 2017.

**Which products and versions are affected?** GStreamer GStreamer before 1.10.2; Red Hat gstreamer-plugins-good Enterprise Linux 6, Enterprise Linux 7.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-9807?** 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-2016-9807 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-9807?** Check whether you run Gstreamer or Red Hat GStreamer Good Plugins. 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 out-of-bounds read vulnerability (CWE-125) exists in the flx_decode_chunks function within gst/flx/gstflxdec.c of GStreamer. The issue is triggered when the FLIC (FLX) media file format decoding plug-in processes a maliciously crafted file. An attacker can exploit this by providing a specially designed FLIC file to an application using GStreamer, leading to an invalid memory read and a subsequent application crash (Denial of Service). While the primary impact is a crash, some related advisories suggest potential for further memory corruption. The vulnerability is addressed in GStreamer version 1.10.2, and some vendors like Red Hat have opted to remove the vulnerable plug-in entirely in their updates.

## Affected products

- GStreamer GStreamer before 1.10.2
- Red Hat gstreamer-plugins-good Enterprise Linux 6, Enterprise Linux 7

## Timeline

- 2016-12-01: disclosed: Initial public disclosure on 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
- 2017-01-13: advisory: NVD publication date

## References

- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2975.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2975.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0019.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0019.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0020.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0020.html)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/01/2](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/01/2)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/05/8](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/05/8)
- [http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95148](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95148)
- [https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=774859](https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=774859)

## 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)