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RealplayerApplication · Realnetworks

CVE-2010-4393

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-01-31
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
Heap-based buffer overflow in vidplin.dll in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1 and 14.0.x before 14.0.2, and RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted header in an AVI 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 · high confidence

Heap-based buffer overflow in vidplin.dll in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0-11.1, 14.0.x before 14.0.2, and RealPlayer SP 1.0-1.1.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted header in an AVI file.

MitigationUpdate RealPlayer to version 14.0.2 or later to patch the vulnerable vidplin.dll component; until then, block or filter untrusted AVI files and disable automatic media handling in the player.

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= 11.1= 14.0.0= 14.0.1
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= 1.1.5

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. Identify installed RealPlayer version
    Open RealPlayer, go to Help > About RealPlayer, or check Add/Remove Programs for RealPlayer entry. Alternatively, check the file properties of the main executable (usually RealPlayer.exe) in the installation directory.
    Affected if The version shown is 11.0, 11.1, 14.0.0, 14.0.1, or any SP version between 1.0.0 and 1.1.5 inclusive.
  2. Locate vidplin.dll in the installation directory
    Navigate to the RealPlayer installation folder (commonly C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer or C:\Program Files (x86)\Real\RealPlayer) and search for the file named vidplin.dll.
    Affected if The file vidplin.dll exists in the RealPlayer directory, indicating the vulnerable component is present.
  3. Check if RealPlayer auto-handles media files
    In RealPlayer, go to Tools > Preferences > Category: Content > Media. Look for the setting under 'Automatic format handling' or 'File types' that controls whether AVI files are opened automatically when downloaded or clicked.
    Affected if Automatic handling of AVI files is enabled, meaning the player will attempt to parse AVI headers without user intervention.
  4. Verify the vidplin.dll file version
    Right-click vidplin.dll in the RealPlayer folder, select Properties, then go to the Details tab to view the File Version. Compare this version against the affected build numbers for the vulnerable component.
    Affected if The file version matches builds associated with RealPlayer 11.0-11.1, 14.0.0-14.0.2, or SP 1.0-1.1.5.

You are affected if RealPlayer version 11.0, 11.1, 14.0.0, 14.0.1, or any RealPlayer SP version from 1.0.0 to 1.1.5 is installed with the vidplin.dll component present and automatic AVI file handling enabled.

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

Update RealPlayer to version 14.0.2 or later to patch the vulnerable vidplin.dll component; until then, block or filter untrusted AVI files and disable automatic media handling in the player.

Recommended fix High confidence

RealPlayer 14.0.2 or later (or latest RealPlayer SP version)

  1. 1. Download RealPlayer 14.0.2 or later from the official RealNetworks website (service.real.com)
  2. 2. Close any running instances of RealPlayer or RealPlayer SP
  3. 3. Uninstall the current version of RealPlayer via Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features
  4. 4. Install the downloaded updated version of RealPlayer
  5. 5. Verify the installation by checking Help > About RealPlayer to confirm the version number
Caveat Standard upgrade; no significant breaking changes expected for this patch update

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-2010-4393 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
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data