CVE-2016-9445 in GStreamer
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the vmnc decoder in the gstreamer allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via large width and height values, which triggers a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9445 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the vmnc decoder component of the gstreamer multimedia framework. This issue affects the processing of video data streams and specifically targets the handling of width and height parameters in video frame decoding operations. The vulnerability exists in the gstreamer framework's implementation of the vmnc (Virtual Network Computing) decoder which is responsible for processing video streams that utilize the vmnc format. When malformed video data containing excessively large width and height values is processed, the decoder fails to properly validate these parameters, leading to arithmetic overflow conditions that ultimately result in memory corruption and system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious video content with deliberately oversized dimension parameters that exceed the maximum representable values for the integer data types used in the decoding process. This integer overflow condition causes subsequent buffer allocation operations to request memory blocks of invalid sizes, typically resulting in buffer overflows when the system attempts to allocate memory for the decoded video frame. The flaw manifests as a predictable crash pattern that can be reliably triggered through network-based attacks, making it particularly dangerous in remote execution scenarios where attackers can send malicious video streams to vulnerable systems without requiring local access or user interaction.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems that utilize gstreamer for multimedia processing, particularly those in networked environments where video content is processed from untrusted sources. The denial of service condition can affect media servers, content delivery networks, streaming platforms, and any application that relies on gstreamer for video decoding operations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can cause system crashes or restarts without needing physical access to the target systems, potentially leading to availability disruptions that could impact business operations, user experience, and service reliability. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be executed through standard network protocols without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to buffer overflows and memory corruption. This mapping aligns with the ATT&CK framework's T1499.004 technique for Network Denial of Service, as the vulnerability enables attackers to disrupt network services through remote exploitation. Additionally, the flaw demonstrates characteristics of T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the overflow conditions can potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code if the buffer overflow leads to code execution vulnerabilities. Organizations implementing gstreamer-based solutions should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling and security assessment processes, particularly when dealing with untrusted multimedia content from external sources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9445 should focus on immediate patching of affected gstreamer versions, implementation of input validation controls, and deployment of network-based security measures to filter malicious video content. System administrators should ensure that all gstreamer components are updated to versions that contain fixes for integer overflow conditions in the vmnc decoder, while also implementing proper bounds checking and input sanitization procedures. Network segmentation and content filtering mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection by preventing potentially malicious video streams from reaching vulnerable systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems that may still be running vulnerable versions of gstreamer, while also monitoring for similar integer overflow patterns in other multimedia processing components that might be susceptible to analogous attacks.