CVE-2010-4380 in RealPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.4, and RealPlayer Enterprise 2.1.2 allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via a crafted SOUND file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2021
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4380 affects multiple versions of RealNetworks RealPlayer software including RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.4, and RealPlayer Enterprise 2.1.2. This vulnerability resides in the handling of crafted SOUND files and represents a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution capabilities. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow which occurs when a program attempts to write data beyond the boundaries of a dynamically allocated memory block, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical flaw manifests when RealPlayer processes specially crafted SOUND files that contain malformed data structures. The software fails to properly validate the size and content of these audio files before attempting to load them into heap memory. This insufficient input validation creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate memory layout and overwrite adjacent heap blocks with malicious data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into opening maliciously crafted audio files. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category which is a well-documented weakness in software security practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. When successfully exploited, the buffer overflow allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to full system takeover. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means attackers can deliver malicious payloads through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or instant messaging files. The unspecified impact mentioned in the description suggests that the vulnerability may enable different types of malicious activities depending on the target environment and system configuration.
Organizations and users affected by CVE-2010-4380 should immediately implement mitigations including disabling RealPlayer functionality or removing the software entirely from systems. Network administrators should deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and implement application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of vulnerable software. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution which demonstrates how attackers can leverage client-side vulnerabilities to establish persistent access to target systems. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and memory safety practices as recommended in secure coding standards and defense-in-depth security strategies. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be prioritized to address similar vulnerabilities in multimedia applications and prevent similar exploitation scenarios.