CVE-2011-0572 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 10.2.152.26 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-0559, CVE-2011-0560, CVE-2011-0561, CVE-2011-0571, CVE-2011-0573, CVE-2011-0574, CVE-2011-0578, CVE-2011-0607, and CVE-2011-0608.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
Adobe Flash Player version 10.2.152.26 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from several other related issues affecting the same software version, indicating that attackers can exploit memory handling mechanisms within the Flash Player runtime environment to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt service availability. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during Flash content processing, where malformed or maliciously crafted flash files can trigger buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios that allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The attack surface is particularly concerning as Flash Player remains widely deployed across enterprise environments and end-user systems, making this vulnerability a prime target for exploitation in targeted attacks. The memory corruption issues typically manifest when the player attempts to parse malicious SWF files or embedded content that contains malformed data structures, leading to unpredictable program behavior and potential privilege escalation. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are common in memory management flaws. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service as attackers can leverage it to establish persistent access to compromised systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player is commonly used for business-critical applications. Security researchers have noted that the exploitation techniques often involve crafting specific SWF files that trigger memory corruption during the parsing phase, which can be delivered through various attack vectors including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web applications. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling activities and recognize its potential alignment with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework, particularly those involving privilege escalation and code execution through web-based attacks. The remediation approach requires immediate deployment of the patched Flash Player version 10.2.152.26 or later, alongside network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious Flash content. Additionally, system administrators should implement security awareness training to reduce the risk of users inadvertently executing malicious Flash content through social engineering attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the broader security challenges associated with legacy software components and underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all enterprise systems. Organizations that cannot immediately upgrade should consider implementing additional network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Given the nature of memory corruption vulnerabilities, defensive measures should include application whitelisting, sandboxing mechanisms, and regular security assessments to identify potential attack vectors that could leverage similar memory management flaws in other software components. The incident also demonstrates the critical need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs that can track and remediate multiple related vulnerabilities affecting the same software ecosystem.