CVE-2010-0128 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer signedness error in dirapi.dll in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.5.7.609 and Adobe Director before 11.5.7.609 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted .dir file that triggers an invalid read operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0128 represents a critical integer signedness error within the dirapi.dll component of Adobe Shockwave Player and Adobe Director software. This flaw exists in versions prior to 11.5.7.609 and demonstrates a fundamental issue in how the software handles integer values during file processing operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the parsing of crafted .dir files which are used by Adobe Shockwave Player to execute interactive content and multimedia applications. The integer signedness error occurs when the application processes certain integer values without proper validation of their signedness, leading to unexpected behavior in memory management operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages a crafted .dir file that contains maliciously constructed integer values which trigger an invalid read operation within the dirapi.dll module. When the vulnerable software attempts to process such files, the integer signedness error causes the application to attempt reading from memory locations that are either invalid or unauthorized, resulting in memory corruption. This memory corruption can manifest as a denial of service condition where the application crashes or becomes unresponsive, or in more severe cases, could potentially allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that Shockwave Player was widely distributed and used for interactive web content, making it an attractive target for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Adobe Shockwave Player for multimedia content delivery. The remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to target systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious .dir files through web browsing or email attachments. The potential for arbitrary code execution elevates this vulnerability from a simple denial of service to a full remote code execution threat, which could allow attackers to gain complete control over affected systems. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow and underflow conditions, and demonstrates how improper handling of signed and unsigned integers can lead to serious security implications.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2010-0128 primarily involves updating to Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.5.7.609 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the integer signedness error. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to prevent the execution of untrusted .dir files, particularly in environments where users may encounter potentially malicious content. Security teams should consider disabling Shockwave Player functionality in web browsers where possible, as the vulnerability is particularly dangerous when exploited through web-based attacks. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify systems running vulnerable versions of the software, and network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts involving crafted .dir files. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper integer handling in security-critical applications and serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for thorough code review processes to identify similar issues in legacy software components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which covers Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting how attackers can leverage such flaws to execute malicious code through compromised client applications.