CVE-2010-1297 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 9.0.277.0 and 10.x before 10.1.53.64; Adobe AIR before 2.0.2.12610; and Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3.3, and 8.x before 8.2.3 on Windows and Mac OS X, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted SWF content, related to authplay.dll and the ActionScript Virtual Machine 2 (AVM2) newfunction instruction, as exploited in the wild in June 2010.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that existed across multiple product versions from 2010. The vulnerability specifically affects Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 9.0.277.0 and 10.x versions before 10.1.53.64, as well as Adobe AIR versions before 2.0.2.12610, and Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x before 9.3.3 and 8.x before 8.2.3 on Windows and Mac OS X platforms. The flaw manifests through crafted SWF content that exploits memory corruption vulnerabilities within the ActionScript Virtual Machine 2 (AVM2) execution environment, particularly when processing the newfunction instruction. This vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during June 2010, demonstrating its significance as a real-world threat that adversaries were leveraging for malicious purposes.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper memory handling within the authplay.dll component and the AVM2 virtual machine implementation. When processing specially crafted SWF files containing the newfunction instruction, the virtual machine fails to properly validate memory operations, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged by attackers. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of software execution and memory management, where the virtual machine's handling of dynamic function creation creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code into the target system's memory space. This flaw specifically targets the ActionScript 3.0 execution environment and demonstrates how complex virtual machine implementations can introduce subtle but critical security weaknesses. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are fundamental memory corruption patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can compromise entire systems. Attackers can craft malicious SWF files that, when opened by vulnerable applications, trigger memory corruption that allows arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application. This creates a significant threat vector for enterprise networks and individual users alike, as Flash content was widely distributed across web sites and documents. The vulnerability's exploitation potential was demonstrated through real-world attacks that leveraged the memory corruption to install malware, steal information, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. Organizations relying on Adobe Flash-based applications faced substantial risk, particularly given the widespread use of Flash content across various platforms and the difficulty of controlling all potential attack vectors. The vulnerability also impacts the broader security ecosystem as it demonstrates how client-side vulnerabilities in widely deployed software can create persistent threats.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of all affected Adobe products, including Flash Player, AIR, Reader, and Acrobat versions. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all vulnerable software is updated promptly, as this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls to prevent access to known malicious SWF content. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted Flash content and encouraged to keep their Adobe software updated. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious SWF file access patterns and memory corruption indicators. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and demonstrates how legacy software vulnerabilities can remain exploitable for extended periods, emphasizing the need for continuous security assessments and proactive vulnerability management. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers legitimate program execution, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter execution, as attackers leverage the vulnerable Flash environment to execute malicious payloads.