CVE-2011-0574 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-2011-0572, CVE-2011-0573, 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 versions prior to 10.2.152.26 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that could be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. This vulnerability represents a distinct memory safety issue separate from several other Flash Player flaws identified in the same timeframe, including CVE-2011-0559 through CVE-2011-0608. The unspecified vectors involved in this particular vulnerability suggest that attackers could manipulate memory structures through various input channels within the Flash Player runtime environment. This type of memory corruption vulnerability typically arises from improper bounds checking, use-after-free conditions, or buffer overflow scenarios that allow malicious code to overwrite critical memory locations. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Attackers could leverage this weakness by crafting malicious Flash content that, when loaded by an affected Flash Player version, would trigger memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the user running the browser. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to include potential system compromise, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass security controls and escalate privileges. Organizations running vulnerable Flash Player versions faced significant risk due to the widespread use of Flash content across web applications and the difficulty in completely isolating Flash content from other browser components. The vulnerability's nature as a memory corruption flaw makes it particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web applications that embed Flash content. This type of vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with rich media players and complex runtime environments that handle untrusted input. The fix implemented in Adobe Flash Player 10.2.152.26 addressed the underlying memory management issues through improved bounds checking and memory allocation practices. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability's exploitation required sophisticated techniques due to modern browser security measures, but the widespread deployment of vulnerable Flash Player versions created substantial risk across enterprise and consumer environments. The incident highlighted the importance of keeping multimedia runtime environments updated and demonstrated how vulnerabilities in legacy software components could provide persistent attack vectors in modern computing environments. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive patch management strategies to address this vulnerability and similar memory corruption issues in other software components. This vulnerability also underscored the challenges of maintaining security in complex software ecosystems where multiple components interact and share memory spaces, emphasizing the need for robust input validation and memory safety practices in software development. The affected versions of Flash Player required immediate remediation through official Adobe security updates, as the vulnerability could be exploited without user interaction in many scenarios. This particular vulnerability exemplified the ongoing security challenges faced by organizations relying on legacy software components that may not receive continued security support or updates. The memory corruption characteristics of this vulnerability align with common exploitation patterns where attackers manipulate heap memory structures to achieve code execution, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing diverse software environments.