CVE-2007-4324 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
ActionScript 3 (AS3) in Adobe Flash Player 9.0.47.0, and other versions and other 9.0.124.0 and earlier versions, allows remote attackers to bypass the Security Sandbox Model, obtain sensitive information, and port scan arbitrary hosts via a Flash (SWF) movie that specifies a connection to make, then uses timing discrepancies from the SecurityErrorEvent error to determine whether a port is open or not. NOTE: 9.0.115.0 introduces support for a workaround, but does not fix the vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2019
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Adobe Flash Player's ActionScript 3 implementation that fundamentally undermines the browser's security sandbox model. The issue affects Flash Player versions 9.0.47.0 and earlier, including the 9.0.124.0 branch, creating a significant attack surface that allows remote adversaries to bypass fundamental security boundaries. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated timing-based technique that exploits the inconsistent error handling behavior within Flash's security framework, specifically leveraging SecurityErrorEvent responses to infer network port states without proper authorization.
The technical exploitation mechanism relies on Flash movies that attempt to establish connections to specified hosts and ports, then analyzes the timing variations in error responses to determine port accessibility. When a connection attempt fails due to security restrictions, the error timing differs significantly from when a connection fails due to a closed port, creating a timing discrepancy that attackers can measure and interpret. This approach effectively transforms Flash Player into a network reconnaissance tool that can perform port scanning operations against arbitrary hosts without proper authorization, demonstrating a fundamental failure in Flash's network security controls. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to perform network discovery and mapping activities that should be restricted by the browser's security model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to perform comprehensive network reconnaissance activities including port scanning of arbitrary hosts. This capability can be leveraged to identify open services, determine network topology, and potentially discover vulnerable systems within target networks. The vulnerability affects not only individual user systems but also enterprise environments where Flash Player is widely deployed, creating a significant risk for organizations that have not implemented proper security measures or updated their systems. The timing-based approach makes detection particularly challenging since it operates within legitimate Flash Player functionality and does not generate obvious network anomalies.
Adobe's response to this vulnerability included the release of version 9.0.115.0 which introduced a workaround mechanism but did not provide a complete fix, indicating the complexity of addressing this fundamental design flaw in Flash Player's security architecture. The workaround approach demonstrates that the vulnerability stems from core architectural issues rather than simple implementation errors, requiring a more comprehensive solution to fully address the security model bypass. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of Flash Player installations and implement additional network security controls to mitigate the risk of timing-based port scanning attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper sandbox implementation and demonstrates how seemingly benign functionality can be exploited to bypass critical security boundaries in rich media applications.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues and represents a classic example of sandbox escape techniques that have been documented in various attack frameworks including those referenced in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The technique specifically relates to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1046 Network Service Scanning categories, demonstrating how multimedia applications can be weaponized for reconnaissance activities. The timing-based approach also connects to broader concepts of side-channel attacks and timing analysis that are commonly referenced in cybersecurity literature and security research publications. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment and ensure proper network segmentation and monitoring controls are in place to detect and prevent such reconnaissance activities.