HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2008-5911
CRITICAL

CVE-2008-5911

CWE-119Published: January 20, 2009· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

10.0
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Multiple buffer overflows in RealNetworks Helix Server and Helix Mobile Server 11.x before 11.1.8 and 12.x before 12.0.1 allow remote attackers to (1) cause a denial of service via three crafted RTSP SETUP commands, or execute arbitrary code via (2) an NTLM authentication request with malformed base64-encoded data, (3) an RTSP DESCRIBE command, or (4) a DataConvertBuffer request.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2008-5911 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.
User Interaction
Scope
Impact
ConfidentialityC
IntegrityC
AvailabilityC
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Affected Vendors & Products

realnetworks2 product(s)
helix serverhelix server mobile
Source: NVD CPE · 4 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (14)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2008-5911
CVSS Score10.0 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-119
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 20, 2009

Related CVEs (CWE-119)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2008-5911 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.