RealPlayer flaw: Stop using Internet Explorer

Security experts are warning RealPlayer users to stop using Internet Explorer until a patch is released for a flaw researchers discovered which could allow code execution.

Researcher Elazar Broad has posted to the Full Disclosure mailing list a so-called heap overflow vulnerability that makes it possible for an attacker to modify heap blocks after they are freed and overwrite certain registers.

This could allow code execution on a compromised machine. The vulnerability affects all versions of RealPlayer running under Internet Explorer.

Exploit code for this flaw has not yet been made public.

Without a patch from RealPlayer, security experts recommend disabling the killbit for the following ActiveX ClassIDs:

  • 2F542A2E-EDC9-4BF7-8CB1-87C9919F7F93
  • CFCDAA03-8BE4-11CF-B84B-0020AFBBCCFA

    However, disabling these killbits will also remove some functionality within the player.

    To avoid the loss of functionality, security experts recommend using RealPlayer in a browser that doesn't support ActiveX, such as Mozilla Firefox (for Windows and Mac).

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    Talkback 2 comments

      Who uses Realplayer anymore... If you haven't yet, stop using it...sandy -- 14/03/08

      Who uses Realplayer anymore... If you haven't yet, stop using it...

      It's not that easyMarty Hamilton -- 17/03/08 (in reply to #320097314)

      It's not that easy to stop using it. Some sites that offer streaming - most notably the ABC :\ - rely heavily on the format. Of course, there's RealPlayer Alternative, but how are the majority of people going to find out about that....

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