CVE-2003-0141 in RealPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
The PNG deflate algorithm in RealOne Player 6.0.11.x and earlier, RealPlayer 8/RealPlayer Plus 8 6.0.9.584, and other versions allows remote attackers to corrupt the heap and overwrite arbitrary memory via a PNG graphic file format containing compressed data using fixed trees that contain the length values 286-287, which are treated as a very large length.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-0141 represents a critical heap corruption issue affecting multimedia player software that processes png image files. This flaw exists within the deflate decompression implementation used by RealOne Player versions 6.0.11.x and earlier, as well as RealPlayer 8 and RealPlayer Plus 8 versions 6.0.9.584 and similar releases. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of compressed data within png format files, specifically when the decompression algorithm encounters fixed tree structures containing length values in the range of 286-287. These particular values are outside the normal range for fixed trees and are processed in a manner that causes significant memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted png file that contains compressed data using fixed tree structures with invalid length values. When the affected RealPlayer software attempts to decompress this malicious png file, the deflate algorithm incorrectly interprets the length values 286-287 as representing extremely large data lengths. This misinterpretation leads to heap memory corruption as the decompression process attempts to allocate memory blocks that are far beyond normal expectations, causing buffer overflows and arbitrary memory overwrite conditions. The flaw essentially allows attackers to manipulate memory locations beyond the intended boundaries of the decompression buffer.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly enables remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can leverage this heap corruption to overwrite arbitrary memory locations, potentially allowing them to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. This represents a classic buffer overflow scenario that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of RealPlayer software. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of RealPlayer software, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts a wide range of installations across different platforms and deployment scenarios. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by viewing a maliciously crafted png image file, without requiring any additional user interaction beyond normal media playback.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The memory corruption pattern indicates that the attack vector targets the decompression library within the media player, making it a prime example of software supply chain security risks where legitimate media processing functionality becomes a vector for malicious exploitation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including software updates, patch management procedures, and network-based restrictions on png file processing. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation in compression algorithms and highlights the need for robust error handling in multimedia processing libraries. Additionally, this issue demonstrates the critical importance of keeping multimedia software updated, as the vulnerability affects multiple generations of RealPlayer software and represents a persistent security weakness that could be exploited across various deployment environments.