CVE-2007-5080 in RealPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in RealNetworks RealPlayer 10 and 10.5, RealOne Player 1, and RealPlayer Enterprise for Windows allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Lyrics3 2.00 tag in an MP3 file, resulting in a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5080 represents a critical integer overflow flaw affecting multiple RealNetworks media players including RealPlayer 10 and 10.5, RealOne Player 1, and RealPlayer Enterprise for Windows. This vulnerability resides in the parsing logic for Lyrics3 2.00 tags within MP3 file formats, demonstrating how seemingly benign metadata can become a vector for sophisticated exploitation. The flaw specifically manifests when the player attempts to process malformed tag data, creating conditions where integer arithmetic operations produce values that exceed the maximum representable integer, leading to unpredictable behavior in memory management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a heap-based buffer overflow condition that occurs during the processing of Lyrics3 2.00 metadata structures. When a maliciously crafted MP3 file containing oversized or malformed Lyrics3 tags is opened, the player's parser fails to properly validate the tag size parameters, resulting in an integer overflow that subsequently triggers a buffer overflow in heap memory allocation. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is classified as a common weakness in software security practices. The attack vector requires remote code execution through a specially crafted media file, making it particularly dangerous for users who may unknowingly download or receive infected content through various distribution channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple media playback disruption, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities through remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain arbitrary code execution privileges on the victim's system, potentially leading to full system compromise, data theft, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects a wide range of RealNetworks products across different versions, indicating a fundamental flaw in the parsing logic that was not adequately addressed in the affected software implementations. This type of exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code, and demonstrates how media processing applications can serve as attack surfaces for privilege escalation and system control.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of all affected RealNetworks products, as the integer overflow represents a fundamental flaw in the software architecture that cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes alone. System administrators should implement strict content filtering policies to prevent execution of untrusted media files, particularly those with embedded metadata that could trigger the vulnerable parsing logic. Network security controls including deep packet inspection and content filtering should be deployed to block suspicious MP3 files that may contain malicious Lyrics3 tags. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening media files from untrusted sources, and organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of media players to trusted environments. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper input validation and integer overflow protection in multimedia processing applications, highlighting the need for robust security testing throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent similar issues in future implementations.