CVE-2010-1290 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.5.7.609 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-1284, CVE-2010-1286, CVE-2010-1287, CVE-2010-1289, and CVE-2010-1291.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2021
Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.5.7.609 and earlier contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from other related issues in the same timeframe, specifically excluding CVE-2010-1284, CVE-2010-1286, CVE-2010-1287, CVE-2010-1289, and CVE-2010-1291. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations within the Shockwave Player component, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to manipulate memory structures and execute unauthorized commands on affected systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption that can be triggered through specially crafted Shockwave content or web pages that load malicious Shockwave Player content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by embedding malicious code within Shockwave files or web content that, when processed by the vulnerable player, causes memory allocation errors or buffer overflows. The flaw operates at the memory management level where the player fails to properly validate input data or manage memory boundaries, leading to potential code execution or system instability. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and may also relate to CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1290 is significant as it affects users who have Adobe Shockwave Player installed on their systems, particularly those who browse the internet or open web content that may contain malicious Shockwave files. The vulnerability can result in complete system compromise when exploited, as attackers can potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the Shockwave Player. This creates a substantial risk for enterprise environments where users may inadvertently encounter malicious content through phishing emails, compromised websites, or malicious advertisements. The vulnerability also presents a denial of service risk that can cause system crashes or application instability, disrupting normal business operations and potentially leading to data loss or system downtime.
Organizations and users should immediately apply the security patches provided by Adobe to address this vulnerability in Adobe Shockwave Player. The recommended mitigation strategy includes updating to Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.5.7.609 or later, which contains fixes for the memory corruption issues. System administrators should also implement network-based controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to prevent access to known malicious Shockwave content. Additionally, user education regarding safe browsing practices and the risks associated with downloading and executing unknown Shockwave files is essential. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through exploitation of software vulnerabilities, specifically T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation and T1203 for exploitation for execution. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of Shockwave Player unless explicitly required for business operations, reducing the attack surface and potential impact of this vulnerability.