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RealplayerApplication · Realnetworks

CVE-2010-4382

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2010-12-14
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
Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.4, RealPlayer Enterprise 2.1.2, Linux RealPlayer 11.0.2.1744, and possibly HelixPlayer 1.0.6 and other versions, allow remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via a crafted RealMedia file.

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 · moderate confidence

Multiple heap-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in RealNetworks RealPlayer versions 11.0-11.1, RealPlayer SP 1.0-1.1.4, RealPlayer Enterprise 2.1.2, and Linux RealPlayer 11.0.2.1744, along with possibly HelixPlayer. The vulnerabilities are triggered by specially crafted RealMedia files, allowing remote attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code via heap overflow conditions.

MitigationUpgrade to a patched version of RealPlayer if available, or disable associated browser plugins and restrict user ability to open untrusted RealMedia files until a fix can be applied. Consider replacing RealPlayer with a supported media player if patches are no longer available.

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:= 11.0= 11.0.1= 11.0.2= 11.0.3= 11.0.4= 11.0.5= 11.1= 11.0.2.1744= 2.1.2
Realplayer SpApplication
Affected:= 1.0.0= 1.0.1= 1.0.2= 1.0.5= 1.1= 1.1.1= 1.1.2= 1.1.3= 1.1.4

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. Check if RealPlayer is installed
    On Windows, open Programs and Features or check for RealPlayer in C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer or C:\Program Files (x86)\Real\RealPlayer. On Linux, check for /usr/local/RealPlayer or ~/.realplayer directories. Look for executable files named realplay, RealPlayer, or helixplayer.
    Affected if RealPlayer or HelixPlayer is found installed on the system
  2. Identify the installed RealPlayer version
    On Windows, right-click the RealPlayer executable, select Properties, and check the Details tab for version information. On Linux, run 'realplay --version' or 'helixplayer --version' from the command line, or check the version in the application binary name.
    Affected if The installed version cannot be determined or is not visible
  3. Compare installed version against affected list
    Match the identified version number to the affected versions: RealPlayer 11.0, 11.0.1, 11.0.2, 11.0.3, 11.0.4, 11.0.5, 11.1, 11.0.2.1744, or 2.1.2; RealPlayer SP 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.5, 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, or 1.1.4; or HelixPlayer.
    Affected if The installed version matches any of the listed affected versions exactly
  4. Verify RealMedia file handling is enabled
    Check if RealPlayer has file associations for .rm, .ram, .rpm, .ra, .rv, .rmvb extensions. On Windows, go to Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations. On Linux, check ~/.local/share/applications or /usr/share/applications for file type associations.
    Affected if RealPlayer is configured to automatically handle or open RealMedia file types
  5. Check browser plugin status
    In Internet Explorer, go to Manage Add-ons and look for RealPlayer or Helix Player Browser Plugin. In Firefox, go to Add-ons > Plugins and check for RealPlayer entries. In Chrome, go to chrome://plugins and search for RealPlayer.
    Affected if The RealPlayer browser plugin is enabled and active

The system is affected if RealPlayer or HelixPlayer is installed with a version matching any of the affected versions listed (11.0-11.1, SP 1.0-1.1.4, Enterprise 2.1.2, or Linux 11.0.2.1744) and the application can handle RealMedia files.

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 a patched version of RealPlayer if available, or disable associated browser plugins and restrict user ability to open untrusted RealMedia files until a fix can be applied. Consider replacing RealPlayer with a supported media player if patches are no longer available.

Recommended fix High confidence

RealPlayer 11.1 or later (RealPlayer SP 1.1.4 or later)

  1. 1. Uninstall the current version of RealPlayer or RealPlayer SP from the system
  2. 2. Download RealPlayer 11.1 (or latest available version) from the official RealNetworks website (service.real.com)
  3. 3. Verify the downloaded installer matches the expected hash before execution
  4. 4. Install the upgraded RealPlayer version
  5. 5. Test media playback functionality to confirm the installation works correctly
  6. 6. Ensure RealPlayer is updated to the latest available patch level if newer security updates have been released
Caveat RealPlayer is a discontinued product; legacy media format support may be limited in modern systems; verify system compatibility before upgrading

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

Fix this in Realplayer Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,970
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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-2010-4382 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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