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back to article Serious security hole plugged in RealPlayer and HelixPlayer

RealNetworks has patched a vulnerability in its RealPlayer and HelixPlayer software that made it possible for attackers to run arbitrary code on a victim's machine. The security hole affects applications running on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. The vulnerability exists within the code that handles time formats for a …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    RealPlayer11Beta.exe raises DEP error

    The RealPlayer download pointed to seems to be RealPlayer11Beta.exe, and it raises a data Execution Prevention error on my Windows XP machine.

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  2. A J Stiles

    How Long

    How long will it take before some government, somewhere in the world, decides to bite the bullet and actually outlaw closed-source software altogether?

    In almost every other market, there is such a thing as "type approval" -- i.e. products must be tested in independent laboratories before sale, to ensure they are fit for their rightful purpose. No car manufacturer would ever be allowed to say "We have tested this new car in our own laboratories, it is perfectly safe, and because it contains Secret Parts you may not conduct your own tests on it".

    As long as Source Code is treated as secret even from users of the software (who by simple common-law property rights ought to be privy to that secret, since they own the artefact in which it is embodied) there will continue to be similar outrageous failures of security.

    The time has come for the IT Ministries of the world to stand up to bullying US corporations, and demand access to Source Code in order to conduct Type Approval testing on software.

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  3. Kevin Guernier

    RealPlayer security update (?) for Macs

    RealPlayer 11 isn't available for Macs; shame on Real!

    For RealPlayer 10, the latest update seems to be 10.1.0 (490). Its release notes are dated 4/07 and refer to unspecified security fixes.

    So I couldn't tell whether these latest vulnerabilities are addressed or not.

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Real Alternative?

    How about the folks, such as myself, who've taken the Real Alternative route? Does this effect me?

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  5. Richard Lloyd

    What platform(s) is the vulnerability on?

    I can't seem to see any mention of exactly what platforms this vulnerability is on. iDefense Labs mention generic "Windows" just once and the CVE candidate advisory notice actually completely fails to state the platforms affected at all.

    BTW, Real have been quite shoddy at providing updates for the Linux version of Real Player 10 - the RPM downloadable from http://www.real.com/linux/ is actually dated 14th August 2006! It's version 10.0.8.805-20060718, implying that it was actually a snapshot of code as of 18th July 2006, so it's got 3 weeks to "celebrate" its anniversary....

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