CVE-2012-0927 in RealPlayer
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in RealNetworks RealPlayer 11.x, 14.x, and 15.x before 15.02.71, and RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving the coded_frame_size value in a RealAudio audio stream.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0927 represents a critical security flaw in RealNetworks RealPlayer software versions spanning multiple release lines including 11.x, 14.x, 15.x prior to 15.02.71, and RealPlayer SP 1.0 through 1.1.5. This issue falls under the category of memory corruption vulnerabilities that can be exploited remotely to achieve arbitrary code execution, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where users may unknowingly encounter malicious content. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing RealAudio audio streams that contain malformed coded_frame_size values, which are essential components in the audio decoding process. This flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs during the parsing of audio frame data, where the software fails to properly validate input parameters before using them in memory operations. The vulnerability is classified as a memory safety issue that aligns with CWE-121, which describes unsafe array indexing conditions that can lead to buffer overflow scenarios, and also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities for code execution.
The technical exploitation mechanism involves crafting a malicious RealAudio stream with an oversized or malformed coded_frame_size parameter that causes the RealPlayer application to allocate insufficient memory for processing the audio frame data. When the software attempts to decode this malformed audio stream, the improper validation of the coded_frame_size value leads to a buffer overflow condition that can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious code. This type of vulnerability is particularly insidious because it can be triggered through legitimate media playback scenarios, making it difficult for users to distinguish between benign and malicious content. The exploitation process typically requires the victim to simply open or play the malicious audio file, which automatically triggers the vulnerable code path within the RealPlayer application. The memory corruption occurs during the audio decoding process where the application uses the malformed parameter to determine buffer allocation sizes, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential code execution privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass broader security implications for organizations and individual users who rely on RealPlayer for media consumption. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to deploy malware, establish backdoors, or perform other malicious activities without requiring user interaction beyond the initial media playback. The widespread adoption of RealPlayer across various platforms and systems amplifies the potential attack surface, as the vulnerability affects multiple versions and release channels of the software. Organizations that have legacy systems running older versions of RealPlayer face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where automatic updates are not implemented or where users have administrative privileges that could allow exploitation to occur. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of input validation in multimedia processing applications, as the failure to properly validate audio stream parameters creates a direct pathway for attackers to manipulate application behavior.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0927 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates, as RealNetworks released patches addressing this specific vulnerability in version 15.02.71 and subsequent releases. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected RealPlayer installations are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where legacy systems may be in use. Network-level defenses should include content filtering mechanisms that can detect and block known malicious RealAudio streams, though this approach is less effective due to the dynamic nature of attack vectors. Users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted media files and should be encouraged to keep their software updated regularly. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of sandboxing media applications and implementing least privilege principles to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to isolate systems that may be exposed to potentially malicious content, and should monitor for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include thorough testing of updated software to ensure that patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing media libraries or playback requirements.