CVE-2011-0558 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 10.2.152.26 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a large array length value in the ActionScript method of the Function class.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 10.2.152.26 contained a critical integer overflow vulnerability that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This vulnerability resided within the ActionScript method of the Function class and was specifically triggered by supplying a large array length value that would cause integer overflow during processing. The flaw occurred when the Flash Player's runtime environment handled array operations with excessively large length parameters, leading to memory corruption that attackers could leverage for code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions where an integer value exceeds the maximum value that can be represented by the data type. In this case, the overflow occurred during array length validation within the Flash Player's ActionScript interpreter, specifically when processing function class methods that manipulated array objects. The vulnerability exploited the lack of proper bounds checking on array length parameters, allowing attackers to craft malicious Flash content that would trigger the overflow condition and subsequently overwrite memory locations with attacker-controlled data.
This vulnerability had significant operational impact across enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed, particularly in web browsers and content management systems. Attackers could craft malicious SWF files that would execute when users visited compromised websites or opened infected documents containing embedded Flash content. The integer overflow could be leveraged to overwrite critical memory structures, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise depending on the execution context. Organizations with outdated Flash Player installations faced substantial risk exposure as this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during the time of its discovery.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability required immediate patching of Flash Player installations to version 10.2.152.26 or later, which contained proper bounds checking and overflow protection mechanisms. System administrators should have implemented network-based controls to block malicious Flash content and restricted Flash Player functionality in enterprise environments. Security teams needed to conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions and prioritize remediation efforts. The incident highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day exploits targeting runtime environments like Flash Player. Organizations should have also considered implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted Flash content and monitored network traffic for indicators of exploitation attempts.
From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability mapped to multiple techniques including T1059.007 for script execution via ActionScript and T1068 for privilege escalation through memory corruption. The attack chain typically involved initial compromise through web-based delivery mechanisms, followed by exploitation of the integer overflow to gain code execution capabilities. Security monitoring should have focused on unusual memory allocation patterns, unexpected process behavior, and network connections to known malicious domains associated with exploit delivery. The vulnerability demonstrated the persistent threat landscape surrounding rich media applications and underscored the need for comprehensive security controls beyond traditional network perimeter defenses.