# CVE-2016-9812: GStreamer gst-plugins-bad out-of-bounds read in gst_mpegts_section_new

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-9812-gstreamer-gst-plugins-bad-out-of-bounds-read-in-gst-mpegts-section  
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-2016-9812 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2017-01-13

GStreamer is a widely used multimedia framework that allows applications to play, record, and edit audio and video. A vulnerability in its MPEG-TS decoder could allow a remote attacker to crash applications using the library by providing a specially crafted media file. This could lead to service disruptions or application instability for users opening malicious content.

Technologies: [Gstreamer Gst-Plugins-Bad](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gst-plugins-bad), [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/gstreamer), [Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/enterprise-linux-7). Vendors: [Gstreamer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gstreamer), [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-9812 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2016-9812 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2016-9812?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 13 January 2017.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gstreamer Gst-Plugins-Bad before 1.10.2; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 gstreamer1-plugins-bad-free before 1.4.5-6.el7_3.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-9812?** A patch was published on 2016-12-01: Fixed in GStreamer 1.10.2 release Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2016-9812 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-9812?** Check whether you run Gstreamer Gst-Plugins-Bad, Gstreamer or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 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 out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the gst_mpegts_section_new function within GStreamer's mpegts decoder (part of gst-plugins-bad). The root cause is insufficient validation of the section size; specifically, the decoder fails to ensure that a section meets the minimum required length (3 bytes for short headers or 11 bytes for non-short headers). A remote attacker can exploit this by providing a malformed MPEG-TS stream or file with a 'too small' section, leading to an invalid memory read and a subsequent crash (Denial of Service). The issue was addressed in GStreamer version 1.10.2.

## Affected products

- GStreamer GStreamer gst-plugins-bad before 1.10.2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 gstreamer1-plugins-bad-free before 1.4.5-6.el7_3

## Timeline

- 2016-12-01: disclosed: Initial public disclosure by Hanno Böck
- 2016-12-01: patched: Fixed in GStreamer 1.10.2 release
- 2017-01-05: advisory: Red Hat security advisory RHSA-2017:0021 published
- 2017-01-13: advisory: NVD publication date

## References

- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0021.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0021.html)
- [http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3818](http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3818)
- [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/95160](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95160)
- [https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=775048](https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=775048)
- [https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/releases/1.10/](https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/releases/1.10/)

## 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 gst-plugins-bad out-of-bounds read in MPEG/DVD parsing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125706-a-flaw-was-found-in-gstreamer-s-gst-plugins-bad-mpeg-program)
- [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 gst-plugins-bad MXF plugin buffer overflow in VANC handling](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125703-a-flaw-was-found-in-the-gstreamer-gst-plugins-bad-mxf-plugin)
- [GStreamer gst-plugins-bad H.265 uninitialized memory use](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-121611-a-flaw-was-found-in-gstreamer-s-gst-plugins-bad-package-a-use-of)