CVE-2011-2952 in RealPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.0 through 11.1 and 14.0.0 through 14.0.5, RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5, and RealPlayer Enterprise 2.0 through 2.1.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors related to a dialog box.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2021
The CVE-2011-2952 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in multiple versions of RealNetworks RealPlayer software, spanning from version 11.0 through 11.1 and 14.0.0 through 14.0.5, along with RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5 and RealPlayer Enterprise 2.0 through 2.1.5. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been freed, creating potential exploitation opportunities for malicious actors. The flaw manifests within the software's handling of dialog boxes, suggesting that the memory management error occurs during the processing of user interface elements that are displayed when certain media content is encountered.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a scenario where RealPlayer allocates memory for dialog box structures and subsequently frees that memory while still maintaining references to it. When remote attackers craft specially malformed media files or web content that triggers the display of these dialog boxes, the application attempts to access previously freed memory locations, leading to unpredictable behavior. This memory corruption can be exploited to redirect program execution flow, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios where users might unknowingly trigger the malicious code through web browsers or media players.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations and individual users who rely on RealPlayer for media playback. The attack surface is broad since RealPlayer was widely distributed and integrated into many web browsing experiences, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to leverage the use-after-free condition. The exploitability of this vulnerability can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running RealPlayer. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and can lead to data theft, system monitoring, or further lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage the arbitrary code execution to gain elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2952 should prioritize immediate patching of affected RealPlayer versions, as RealNetworks released updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure and disable RealPlayer in environments where it is not essential for business operations. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual memory access patterns or unexpected code execution within RealPlayer processes, as these could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing robust patch management processes, particularly for multimedia applications that handle untrusted content from the internet. Additionally, user education regarding avoiding untrusted media content and the dangers of clicking on suspicious links remains crucial in reducing the risk of exploitation, as this vulnerability typically requires user interaction with malicious content to be successfully exploited.