CVE-2010-4092 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in an unspecified compatibility component in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.5.9.620 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site, related to the Shockwave Settings window and an unloaded library. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2021
The CVE-2010-4092 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Shockwave Player's compatibility component that enables remote code execution through web-based attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 11.5.9.620 and operates through a user-assisted remote attack vector where malicious actors can craft specially designed websites to exploit the flaw. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Shockwave Settings window functionality, where an unloaded library is accessed after its memory has been freed, creating a dangerous state that attackers can manipulate for arbitrary code execution. The technical nature of this flaw aligns with CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free vulnerabilities as memory safety issues where freed memory is accessed, potentially leading to undefined behavior and exploitation opportunities. The attack requires user interaction through visiting a malicious website, making it a user-assisted remote code execution vulnerability that leverages the browser's interaction with Shockwave Player components. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it allows attackers to gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. The vulnerability's exploitation occurs when the Shockwave Player processes a crafted web page that triggers the Settings window functionality, causing the application to access freed memory from an unloaded library. This particular attack vector demonstrates the dangers of legacy compatibility components in multimedia players, where older code paths that handle backward compatibility can introduce security weaknesses that persist across multiple versions. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under initial access and execution techniques, specifically leveraging software vulnerabilities for code execution. The memory corruption aspect of this flaw makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially leading to stack smashing or heap corruption that attackers can leverage for privilege escalation. The affected compatibility component likely handles legacy Shockwave file formats or older plugin interfaces that maintain backward compatibility but contain outdated memory management practices. Organizations running older versions of Shockwave Player face significant risk exposure, as this vulnerability can be exploited without requiring any special privileges or advanced technical skills from the attacker. The security implications of CVE-2010-4092 highlight the importance of keeping multimedia plugins updated, as compatibility layers often contain legacy code that may not follow modern security practices. Remediation efforts should focus on immediate patch deployment to Adobe Shockwave Player 11.5.9.620 or later versions, while network administrators should consider implementing web filtering measures to prevent access to known malicious sites until patches can be deployed. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of how seemingly benign compatibility features in multimedia applications can become security attack surfaces when they fail to properly manage memory resources, particularly in complex plugin architectures that handle multiple legacy formats and interfaces.