CVE-2010-2998
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 · uneditedArray index error in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1 and RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.0.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via malformed sample data in a RealMedia .IVR file, related to a "malformed IVR pointer index" issue.
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 confidenceBuffer overflow vulnerability in RealPlayer 11.0-11.1 and RealPlayer SP 1.0-1.0.1 due to improper validation of array indices when parsing malformed IVR (RealMedia) files. Successful exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening specially crafted .IVR files.
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= 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.
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Check if RealPlayer is installedOn Windows, open Programs and Features or check registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\RealNetworks for RealPlayer entries. On macOS, check /Applications for RealPlayer.app.Affected if RealPlayer is not installed means not affected.
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Identify installed RealPlayer versionOpen RealPlayer, go to Help > About RealPlayer, or check registry HKLM\SOFTWARE\RealNetworks\RealPlayer\Version for the version string.Affected if Version equals 11.0, 11.0.1, 11.0.2, 11.0.3, 11.0.4, 11.0.5, 11.1, 1.0.0, or 1.0.1 indicates potentially affected.
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Verify .IVR file handling capabilityCheck if RealPlayer has IVR codec or file type support enabled. Look in RealPlayer settings under File Types or codec listings, or attempt to associate/load an .IVR file to confirm parsing capability exists.Affected if IVR file parsing capability is present and enabled means the vulnerable code path exists.
Affected if RealPlayer version is 11.0-11.1 or SP 1.0-1.0.1 AND the application has IVR file parsing capability enabled or available.
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.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade to a patched RealPlayer version beyond 11.1, or replace RealPlayer with an alternative media player. Until patched, block or restrict opening of .IVR files from untrusted sources.
RealPlayer 14 or later (any version newer than 11.1)
- 1. Uninstall the affected RealPlayer versions (11.0, 11.0.1, 11.0.2, 11.0.3, or RealPlayer SP 1.0.0/1.0.1)
- 2. Download the latest version of RealPlayer from the official RealNetworks website or an authorized distributor
- 3. Install the latest RealPlayer version (version 14 or later)
- 4. Verify the installation by checking the About section to confirm the version number
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2010-2998 — 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-2010-2998 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
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- 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
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