CVE-2009-3799 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the Verifier::parseExceptionHandlers function in Adobe Flash Player before 10.0.42.34 and Adobe AIR before 1.5.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an SWF file with a large exception_count value that triggers memory corruption, related to "generation of ActionScript exception handlers."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-3799 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments. This issue resides in the Verifier::parseExceptionHandlers function, which is responsible for processing ActionScript exception handlers within SWF files. The vulnerability specifically manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious SWF file containing an excessively large exception_count value that exceeds the integer limits of the parsing function. This flaw falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, where an integer value exceeds its maximum representable value and wraps around to a smaller value, creating unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the core verification process of Flash Player, which is essential for ensuring the safe execution of ActionScript code within the runtime environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of SWF file structures, specifically targeting the exception handling mechanism that Flash Player uses to manage runtime errors and code execution flow. When the Verifier::parseExceptionHandlers function processes a SWF file with an inflated exception_count value, the integer overflow causes the memory allocation routines to miscalculate the required buffer sizes for exception handler storage. This miscalculation leads to insufficient memory allocation, which can result in memory corruption when the system attempts to write exception handler data beyond the allocated boundaries. The corrupted memory can then be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical program data or execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code through the Flash runtime environment, and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation when the Flash process has elevated privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-3799 extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a fundamental flaw in the memory management and input validation processes of Adobe's runtime environment. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by delivering malicious SWF content through web browsers or other Flash Player-enabled applications, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. The vulnerability affects versions of Flash Player prior to 10.0.42.34 and Adobe AIR prior to 1.5.3, indicating that this flaw was present in widely deployed software versions, increasing the attack surface significantly. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face substantial risk of remote code execution attacks, which could lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a malicious SWF file, making it particularly effective for phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape, as it represents a classic example of how memory corruption vulnerabilities can be exploited to achieve privilege escalation and persistent access to target systems. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and integer overflow protection in runtime environments that process untrusted binary data, as even seemingly benign parsing functions can become attack vectors when proper bounds checking is absent.