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RealplayerApplication · Realnetworks

CVE-2007-5601

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2007-10-20
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Database Component in MPAMedia.dll in RealNetworks RealPlayer 10.5 and 11 beta, and earlier versions including 10, RealOne Player, and RealOne Player 2, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via certain playlist names, as demonstrated via the import method to the IERPCtl ActiveX control in ierpplug.dll.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Stack-based buffer overflow in the Database Component (MPAMedia.dll) in multiple RealPlayer versions allows remote code execution via specially crafted playlist names through the IERPCtl ActiveX control's import method in ierpplug.dll.

MitigationUpgrade to patched RealPlayer version; alternatively disable or unregister the vulnerable IERPCtl ActiveX control (ierpplug.dll) if RealPlayer integration with Internet Explorer is not required.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
RealplayerApplication
Affected:= 10.0= 10.5= 11_beta

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify if RealPlayer is installed
    Check for RealPlayer installation in typical locations such as Program Files or via Add/Remove Programs, and look for RealPlayer executable files
    Affected if RealPlayer is present on the system
  2. Determine installed RealPlayer version
    Right-click the RealPlayer executable, select Properties, and check the Version tab, or use 'Help > About RealPlayer' from within the application
    Affected if The installed version is 10.0, 10.5, or 11_beta
  3. Locate the vulnerable ierpplug.dll component
    Search for ierpplug.dll in the RealPlayer installation directory and check if it is registered as an ActiveX control by viewing registry keys under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\IERPCtl
    Affected if ierpplug.dll exists and the IERPCtl ActiveX control is registered in the system registry
  4. Confirm presence of affected MPAMedia.dll
    Search for MPAMedia.dll in the RealPlayer installation directory, typically within the Database Component folder
    Affected if MPAMedia.dll is present in the RealPlayer installation directory

A user is affected if RealPlayer versions 10.0, 10.5, or 11_beta are installed AND the IERPCtl ActiveX control (ierpplug.dll) is present and registered on the system.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade to patched RealPlayer version; alternatively disable or unregister the vulnerable IERPCtl ActiveX control (ierpplug.dll) if RealPlayer integration with Internet Explorer is not required.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest RealPlayer version (post-11 beta, such as RealPlayer 11 or later stable releases)

  1. 1. Uninstall the affected RealPlayer versions (10.0, 10.5, 11_beta, RealOne Player, RealOne Player 2)
  2. 2. Download the latest version of RealPlayer from the official vendor website (service.real.com)
  3. 3. Install the latest RealPlayer version which contains the security fix for the MPAMedia.dll buffer overflow
  4. 4. Verify the installation by checking Help > About RealPlayer to confirm the version number
  5. 5. Ensure the IERPCtl ActiveX control (ierpplug.dll) is updated or disabled if not required
Caveat Upgrade to a newer major version may introduce changes to the user interface and may remove support for older media formats; verify compatibility with existing workflows before deploying in production

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Realplayer Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2007-5601 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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