CVE-2007-5275 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
The Adobe Macromedia Flash 9 plug-in allows remote attackers to cause a victim machine to establish TCP sessions with arbitrary hosts via a Flash (SWF) movie, related to lack of pinning of a hostname to a single IP address after receiving an allow-access-from element in a cross-domain-policy XML document, and the availability of a Flash Socket class that does not use the browser s DNS pins, aka DNS rebinding attacks, a different issue than CVE-2002-1467 and CVE-2007-4324.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5275 represents a significant security flaw in Adobe Macromedia Flash 9 plugin that enables remote attackers to manipulate network connections through malicious SWF files. This issue specifically targets the cross-domain policy implementation within Flash's socket communication mechanisms, creating an avenue for attackers to bypass normal network security restrictions. The vulnerability exploits the fundamental mismatch between how Flash handles domain name resolution and how browsers manage DNS caching, allowing malicious actors to redirect network traffic to unintended destinations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of cross-domain policy files, particularly the allow-access-from element within cross-domain-policy XML documents. When Flash processes these policy files, it fails to properly pin hostnames to specific IP addresses after receiving the allow-access-from directive. This lack of hostname pinning creates a window where attackers can manipulate DNS resolution during the connection process. The Flash Socket class, which provides network communication capabilities, operates independently of the browser's DNS caching mechanisms, meaning it doesn't utilize the established DNS pins that would normally prevent such attacks. This architectural flaw allows attackers to perform DNS rebinding attacks where the same hostname resolves to different IP addresses during the attack lifecycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables attackers to establish TCP connections to arbitrary hosts without the victim's explicit consent or awareness. This capability allows for various malicious activities including but not limited to network scanning, data exfiltration, and command and control communications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass firewall restrictions that typically protect internal networks from external access. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires no special privileges on the victim machine beyond having the vulnerable Flash plugin installed. The vulnerability affects systems where Flash content is executed, potentially compromising entire networks if attackers can deliver malicious SWF files through web browsers or other Flash-enabled applications.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 and CWE-209 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, specifically addressing issues related to improper input validation and information exposure. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1071.004 for application layer protocols and T1190 for exploit public-facing applications. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including disabling Flash plugin execution in browsers, updating to patched versions of Flash Player, and implementing network-level controls to restrict outbound TCP connections from Flash-enabled applications. The recommended approach involves deploying network segmentation, implementing DNS filtering mechanisms, and establishing strict cross-domain policy configurations that prevent the type of hostname pinning bypass exploited in this attack. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual TCP connection patterns originating from Flash processes, as these may indicate exploitation attempts.