RealNetworks RealPlayer up to 11.0.5 GetPacketBuffer memory corruption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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10.0$5k-$25k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in RealNetworks RealPlayer up to 11.0.5. Impacted is the function CGIFCodec::GetPacketBuffer. This manipulation causes memory corruption. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2009-4242. There is not any exploit available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as very critical was found in RealNetworks RealPlayer up to 11.0.5 (Multimedia Player Software). Affected by this vulnerability is the function CGIFCodec::GetPacketBuffer. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Heap-based buffer overflow in the CGIFCodec::GetPacketBuffer function in datatype/image/gif/common/gifcodec.cpp in RealNetworks RealPlayer 10; RealPlayer 10.5 6.0.12.1040 through 6.0.12.1741; RealPlayer 11 11.0.0 through 11.0.4; RealPlayer Enterprise; Mac RealPlayer 10, 10.1, and 11.0; Linux RealPlayer 10; and Helix Player 10.x allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a GIF file with crafted chunk sizes that trigger improper memory allocation.

The weakness was released 01/19/2010 by Peter Vreugdenhil (TippingPoint) with TippingPoint's Zero Day Initiative (Website). The advisory is shared at zerodayinitiative.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2009-4242. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 04/29/2026). It is expected to see the exploit prices for this product decreasing in the near future.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 67994 (Oracle Linux 4 : HelixPlayer (ELSA-2010-0094)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Oracle Linux Local Security Checks. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 116821 (RealPlayer Multiple Vulnerabilities).

A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (55795), Tenable (67994), SecurityFocus (BID 37880†), OSVDB (61966†) and Secunia (SA38450†). Entries connected to this vulnerability are available at VDB-3923, VDB-46364, VDB-51668 and VDB-51667. If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 10.0

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 10.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory corruption
CWE: CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 67994
Nessus Name: Oracle Linux 4 : HelixPlayer (ELSA-2010-0094)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 880364
OpenVAS Name: CentOS Update for HelixPlayer CESA-2010:0094 centos4 i386
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: no mitigation known
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

12/09/2009 🔍
01/19/2010 +41 days 🔍
01/19/2010 +0 days 🔍
01/20/2010 +1 days 🔍
01/20/2010 +0 days 🔍
01/25/2010 +5 days 🔍
01/26/2010 +1 days 🔍
01/28/2010 +2 days 🔍
07/12/2013 +1260 days 🔍
03/18/2015 +614 days 🔍
04/29/2026 +4060 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: realnetworks.com

Advisory: zerodayinitiative.com
Researcher: Peter Vreugdenhil (TippingPoint)
Organization: TippingPoint's Zero Day Initiative
Status: Not defined
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2009-4242 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2009-4242
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-51661

OVAL: 🔍
IAVM: 🔍

X-Force: 55795
SecurityFocus: 37880 - Multiple RealNetworks Products Multiple Remote Vulnerabilities
Secunia: 38450
OSVDB: 61966 - RealNetworks Multiple Products Crafted GIF File Chunk Size Overflow
Vulnerability Center: 24685 - RealNetworks RealPlayer Remote Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability via Crafted GIF File, Medium

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 03/18/2015 15:15
Updated: 04/29/2026 03:36
Changes: 03/18/2015 15:15 (71), 02/20/2017 10:13 (11), 08/31/2021 15:22 (3), 08/31/2021 15:28 (1), 02/22/2025 20:35 (15), 04/29/2026 03:36 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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