CVE-2011-4249
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 the RV30 codec in RealNetworks RealPlayer before 15.0.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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 confidenceThis is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in RealNetworks RealPlayer's RV30 video codec. An array index error allows remote attackers to trigger heap-based buffer overflows via malformed media files, leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability affects versions prior to 15.0.0.
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<= 14.0.7= 4= 5= 6= 7= 8= 10.0= 10.5= 11.0= 11.0.1= 11.0.2= 11.0.2.1744CVSS 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
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/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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Confirm RealPlayer installationCheck for RealPlayer installation by looking for the executable. On Windows, check for 'RealPlayer.exe' in typical installation directories such as C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer or C:\Program Files (x86)\Real\RealPlayer. On Linux, check for 'realplay' in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin.Affected if RealPlayer is found installed on the system
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Identify installed RealPlayer versionIn Windows, right-click RealPlayer.exe, select Properties, and view the Version tab. Alternatively, open RealPlayer and go to Help > About RealPlayer. Compare the version number to the affected list: versions <= 14.0.7, or versions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10.0, 10.5, 11.0, 11.0.1, 11.0.2, or 11.0.2.1744.Affected if The installed version matches any of the affected versions listed or is lower than 15.0.0
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Verify RV30 codec presenceCheck for the RV30 codec component within the RealPlayer installation directory. Look for files named 'rv30.dll' or similar RV30-related DLL files in the RealPlayer folder structure.Affected if The RV30 codec DLL is present in the RealPlayer installation directory
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Detect RV30 media file handling capabilityOpen RealPlayer and attempt to play a sample RV30-encoded media file, or check RealPlayer's codec support list through the application preferences or 'Tools' > 'Codec Manager'.Affected if RealPlayer can decode or play RV30-encoded media files
A user is affected if RealPlayer with a version lower than 15.0.0 is installed and the RV30 codec component is present and functional on the system.
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 · scopedUpdate RealPlayer to version 15.0.0 or later. Until patched, block or restrict handling of untrusted RV30-encoded media files and disable the RealPlayer browser plugin to reduce attack surface.
RealPlayer 15.0.0 or later
- Upgrade RealPlayer to version 15.0.0 or later to remediate the RV30 codec array index vulnerability
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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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-4249 — 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-2011-4249 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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