CVE-2010-2997
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 · uneditedUse-after-free vulnerability in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.0.1, Mac RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1, Linux RealPlayer 11.0.2.1744, and possibly HelixPlayer 1.0.6 and other versions, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (heap memory corruption) via a crafted StreamTitle tag in an ICY SHOUTcast stream, related to the SMIL file format.
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 confidenceUse-after-free vulnerability in RealPlayer's handling of StreamTitle tags within ICY SHOUTcast streams, where malformed SMIL file format parsing leads to heap memory corruption. Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution by tricking users into processing crafted malicious streams.
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= 11.0= 11.0.1= 11.0.2= 11.0.3= 11.0.4= 11.0.5= 11.1= 11.0.2.1744= 1.0.0= 1.0.1CVSS 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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Confirm RealPlayer installationCheck for RealPlayer application on the system - look for 'RealPlayer' or 'RealPlayer SP' in installed programs (Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features, or on Mac /Applications folder)Affected if RealPlayer or RealPlayer SP is installed on the system
-
Identify installed RealPlayer versionOpen RealPlayer, go to Help > About RealPlayer to display the exact version number; alternatively check the program's file properties (right-click the executable > Properties > Details)Affected if Version matches 11.0, 11.0.1, 11.0.2, 11.0.3, 11.0.4, 11.0.5, 11.1, 11.0.2.1744, 1.0.0, or 1.0.1
-
Verify ICY/SHOUTcast stream support is enabledIn RealPlayer settings, check Media > Internet Settings or similar menu for ICY streaming support options - look for 'Enable ICY streaming' or 'SHOUTcast support' settingsAffected if ICY or SHOUTcast streaming functionality is enabled in RealPlayer preferences
-
Check for recent stream processing activityReview RealPlayer's play history or recent files list for any processed ICY/SHOUTcast streams, or examine browser/plugin activity if RealPlayer is used as a browser plugin for streaming contentAffected if The application has processed ICY/SHOUTcast streams using SMIL format parsing
The system is affected if RealPlayer (versions 11.0-11.1 or RealPlayer SP 1.0.0-1.0.1) is installed with ICY/SHOUTcast streaming enabled and the application has processed or could process untrusted shoutcast streams.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataRestrict processing of untrusted ICY/SHOUTcast streams; upgrade to patched RealPlayer version or replace with maintained alternative; disable RealPlayer if not business-critical.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2010-2997 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2010-2997 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data