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RealplayerApplication · Realnetworks

CVE-2012-0928

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2012-02-08
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
The ATRAC codec in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.x and 14.x through 14.0.7, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5, and Mac RealPlayer 12.x before 12.0.0.1703 does not properly decode samples, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted ATRAC audio 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

The ATRAC audio codec in RealPlayer fails to properly validate or decode sample data from crafted ATRAC audio files, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited for arbitrary code execution.

MitigationUpdate RealPlayer to the latest patched version (14.0.8+ or Mac 12.0.0.1703+). Until patched, avoid opening ATRAC audio files from 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
RealplayerApplication
Affected:= 14.0.0= 14.0.1= 14.0.1.609= 14.0.1.633= 14.0.2= 14.0.3= 14.0.4= 14.0.5= 14.0.6= 14.0.7= 11.0= 11.0.1
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. Determine installed RealPlayer version
    On Windows: Open RealPlayer, go to Help > About RealPlayer to see the version number. On Windows, you can also right-click the RealPlayer executable (typically in Program Files), select Properties, and view the Version tab. On Mac: Open RealPlayer, click RealPlayer > About RealPlayer.
    Affected if The version matches any of the following: 14.0.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.1.609, 14.0.1.633, 14.0.2, 14.0.3, 14.0.4, 14.0.5, 14.0.6, 14.0.7, 11.0, 11.0.1 (RealPlayer), or 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 (RealPlayer SP).
  2. Check if ATRAC codec is available in RealPlayer
    Look for ATRAC audio format support within RealPlayer. In RealPlayer settings or preferences, check the supported audio formats list, or attempt to identify if an ATRAC decoder component exists in the RealPlayer installation directory (on Windows, typically in Program Files/Real/RealPlayer).
    Affected if The ATRAC audio decoding capability is present and enabled in the RealPlayer installation.
  3. Verify the vulnerability trigger condition
    Confirm that RealPlayer can process ATRAC audio files. Check if there are any ATRAC-related files (.atrac3, .aa3, or other ATRAC extensions) associated with RealPlayer, or check the codec information when playing audio files.
    Affected if RealPlayer with a vulnerable version has ATRAC decoding functionality enabled and can open or preview ATRAC audio files.

You are affected if you have RealPlayer or RealPlayer SP installed with a version matching any of the listed vulnerable versions AND the ATRAC audio codec/decoding feature is present and functional in your installation.

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 the latest patched version (14.0.8+ or Mac 12.0.0.1703+). Until patched, avoid opening ATRAC audio files from untrusted sources.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

RealPlayer 14.0.7 or later (or RealPlayer SP 1.1.5+)

  1. 1. Uninstall the current version of RealPlayer or RealPlayer SP from the system.
  2. 2. Navigate to the official RealNetworks download page at service.real.com.
  3. 3. Download the latest version of RealPlayer (version 14.0.7 or later).
  4. 4. Verify the downloaded installer matches the official RealPlayer distribution.
  5. 5. Install the updated RealPlayer version.
  6. 6. Confirm the installed version by checking Help > About RealPlayer.
Caveat The upgrade path may require acceptance of updated license terms; ensure compatibility with the target operating system before proceeding.

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

Fix this in Realplayer Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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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-2012-0928 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