CVE-2007-3457 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player 8.0.34.0 and earlier insufficiently validates HTTP Referer headers, which might allow remote attackers to conduct a CSRF attack via a crafted SWF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
Adobe Flash Player versions 8.0.34.0 and earlier contained a critical security flaw that stemmed from inadequate validation of HTTP Referer headers within the player's architecture. This vulnerability exploited a fundamental weakness in how the software processed web referer information, creating an avenue for malicious actors to bypass security controls that typically protect against cross-site request forgery attacks. The flaw specifically manifested when Flash Player failed to properly sanitize or validate the Referer header values that were passed to it during SWF file execution, allowing attackers to craft malicious Flash content that could manipulate the referer header to appear as if requests originated from trusted sources. The technical implementation of this vulnerability allowed remote attackers to construct specially crafted SWF files that would exploit the insufficient validation mechanisms, effectively enabling them to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users who visited compromised web pages. This weakness directly impacted the security model of Flash Player by undermining the trust relationships that should exist between the player and web applications, as the referer header validation was bypassed without proper authentication or authorization checks. The operational impact of this vulnerability was significant as it could be leveraged to execute CSRF attacks against users who had Flash Player installed, potentially allowing attackers to perform actions such as changing account settings, making purchases, or accessing sensitive data without user consent. This vulnerability was classified under CWE-347, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation and related security issues, and aligned with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for content injection and T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage web-based exploits. The security implications extended beyond simple referer header validation as it represented a broader class of issues where web application security controls were circumvented through manipulation of HTTP headers that Flash Player did not properly validate. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Flash Player faced increased risk of unauthorized transactions and data manipulation attacks, particularly in environments where users accessed multiple web applications that relied on referer-based security controls. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper input validation in web-based media players and demonstrated how seemingly minor security gaps could be exploited to create significant operational risks. The flaw was particularly dangerous because it required no local privileges or complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to attackers with basic web development skills who could simply craft malicious SWF files to exploit the vulnerability. This type of vulnerability underscored the need for robust security practices in media player implementations and emphasized the critical importance of validating all HTTP headers, including those that are often considered non-critical or automatically generated by web browsers. The remediation for this vulnerability required updating to Flash Player versions that properly validated HTTP Referer headers and implemented additional security controls to prevent manipulation of referer information during SWF file execution, effectively closing the window of opportunity for CSRF attacks that leveraged this specific weakness in the player's architecture.