dbcve.org
Helix ServerApplication · Realnetworks

CVE-2010-4596

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-04-04
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 RealNetworks Helix Server 12.x, 13.x, and 14.x before 14.2, and Helix Mobile Server 12.x, 13.x, and 14.x before 14.2, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string in an RTSP request.

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 RealNetworks Helix Server and Helix Mobile Server (versions 12.x, 13.x, and 14.x before 14.2) allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string in an RTSP request. The vulnerability occurs in the RTSP protocol handler where insufficient bounds checking on a string parameter overflows a stack-allocated buffer.

MitigationUpgrade to Helix Server/Helix Mobile Server version 14.2 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict network access to RTSP ports (typically 554/tcp) using firewall rules or network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted sources.

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
Helix ServerApplication
Affected:= 12.0.0= 12.0.1= 13.0.0= 13.1.1= 14.0.0= 14.0.1
Helix Mobile ServerApplication
Affected:= 12.0= 13.1.1= 14.0.0= 14.0.1

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 Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server installation
    Look for Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server executables or services on the system. Check common installation directories such as C:\Program Files\Real\Helix Server or /usr/local/HelixServer, or look for process names like 'HelixServer' or 'rmserver' running on the machine.
    Affected if The software is present on the system.
  2. Determine the installed version
    Locate the version information for the installed Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server. This is typically found in the server's admin interface, in a version file within the installation directory, or by querying the running service. Compare the version to the affected range: versions 12.x, 13.x, or 14.x prior to 14.2.
    Affected if The installed version is 12.0.0, 12.0.1, 13.0.0, 13.1.1, 14.0.0, 14.0.1, or any other 12.x, 13.x, or 14.x version before 14.2.
  3. Verify RTSP service is exposed
    Check if the RTSP service is running and listening on the network. The default RTSP port is 554/tcp. Use netstat, nmap, or similar tools to determine if port 554 is open and accepting connections. Also verify whether the server is configured to handle RTSP requests.
    Affected if RTSP service is enabled and accessible on the network, making the vulnerability exploitable by remote attackers sending crafted RTSP requests.

A system is affected if it runs Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server version 12.x, 13.x, or 14.x prior to 14.2 with RTSP service enabled and accessible.

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 Helix Server/Helix Mobile Server version 14.2 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict network access to RTSP ports (typically 554/tcp) using firewall rules or network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted sources.

Recommended fix High confidence

Helix Server/Helix Mobile Server 14.2 or later

  1. 1. Identify the currently installed Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server version by checking the server administration interface or running the version command.
  2. 2. Stop the Helix Server or Helix Mobile Server services to ensure a safe upgrade process.
  3. 3. Back up the current server configuration, including all settings, media files, and user data.
  4. 4. Download Helix Server version 14.2 or later from the official RealNetworks website (docs.real.com).
  5. 5. Install the new version following the vendor's upgrade documentation.
  6. 6. Restore the backed-up configuration to the new installation.
  7. 7. Start the Helix services and verify the server is running correctly.
  8. 8. Confirm the installed version shows 14.2 or higher via the admin interface.
Caveat Review release notes for any breaking changes between your current version and 14.2, particularly regarding deprecated RTSP features or configuration syntax changes.

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

Fix this in Helix Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,640
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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-2010-4596 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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