CVE-2009-0522 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player 9.x before 9.0.159.0 and 10.x before 10.0.22.87 on Windows allows remote attackers to trick a user into visiting an arbitrary URL via an unspecified manipulation of the "mouse pointer display," related to a "Clickjacking attack."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2021
Adobe Flash Player versions 9.x prior to 9.0.159.0 and 10.x prior to 10.0.22.87 on Windows platforms contained a critical security vulnerability that enabled remote attackers to execute clickjacking attacks through manipulation of mouse pointer display mechanisms. This vulnerability exploited the way Flash Player handled user interface elements and pointer interactions, creating a dangerous exploitation vector that could deceive users into performing unintended actions. The flaw specifically related to how the player managed the display and interaction of mouse pointers within Flash content, allowing malicious actors to craft deceptive web pages that would trick users into clicking on hidden or misleading interface elements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involved the manipulation of Flash Player's mouse pointer display functionality to create a clickjacking scenario where legitimate user interactions could be hijacked. Attackers could construct malicious web pages that would overlay Flash content with invisible or misleading elements, causing users to inadvertently click on targeted URLs or execute unintended actions. This manipulation occurred at the application level within Flash Player's rendering engine, where the mouse pointer display was not properly validated against potential malicious interference. The vulnerability was classified under CWE-425 as a direct result of insufficient validation of user interface elements, specifically related to clickjacking attacks where the user's intended actions were diverted from their actual targets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was significant as it allowed attackers to bypass user awareness and consent mechanisms that normally protect against malicious web interactions. Users could be tricked into visiting arbitrary URLs, downloading malicious content, or performing other unintended actions without realizing they were being manipulated. The attack vector was particularly dangerous because it leveraged the trust users placed in Flash Player applications, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious content. This vulnerability created a persistent risk for users who had Flash Player installed on their systems, as the attack could be executed through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or additional software installation.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should have immediately applied the security patches released by Adobe, specifically versions 9.0.159.0 and 10.0.22.87, which addressed the mouse pointer display manipulation issue. System administrators should have implemented browser security policies that restricted Flash Player functionality or disabled it entirely for untrusted websites. The mitigation strategies should have included network-level controls to prevent access to known malicious domains and user education about the dangers of clicking on unexpected links or content. This vulnerability also highlighted the importance of implementing proper input validation and user interface security measures, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under techniques related to user interface manipulation and social engineering attacks that exploit application-level trust relationships.