CVE-2010-2164 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 9.0.277.0 and 10.x before 10.1.53.64, and Adobe AIR before 2.0.2.12610, might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors related to an unspecified "image type within a certain function."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The CVE-2010-2164 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that significantly impacts system security. This vulnerability exists in Flash Player versions prior to 9.0.277.0 and 10.x versions before 10.1.53.64, as well as in Adobe AIR versions before 2.0.2.12610, creating a substantial attack surface for malicious actors. The flaw manifests within a specific function that processes different image types, making it particularly dangerous as it leverages the complex image processing capabilities inherent in multimedia applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Flash Player's handling of image data structures. When processing certain image types within a specific function, the application fails to properly validate memory references after objects have been freed, creating a use-after-free condition that can be exploited by attackers. This memory management error allows attackers to manipulate the application's memory state and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been freed, making it a prime target for exploitation techniques that leverage heap manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to bypass security restrictions and potentially compromise entire systems. Attackers can craft malicious SWF files or web content that, when loaded by an affected Flash Player instance, triggers the memory corruption condition. This leads to potential privilege escalation, data theft, system compromise, and persistent malware installation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no user interaction beyond viewing the malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios. The attack vector typically involves delivering malicious Flash content through compromised websites or email attachments, leveraging the widespread deployment of Flash Player across various platforms and applications.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory software updates to the patched versions of Flash Player and AIR runtime environments. Organizations must also consider network-level defenses such as content filtering and web application firewalls to block known malicious Flash content. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping multimedia runtime environments updated, as these components often have extensive attack surfaces due to their complex processing capabilities. Additionally, implementing sandboxing techniques and privilege separation can help limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts, aligning with defensive strategies recommended in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for mitigating code execution vulnerabilities.