CVE-2011-2111 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
IML32.dll in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.6.0.626 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2115 and CVE-2011-2116.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2021
Adobe Shockwave Player contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability in the IML32.dll component that affects versions prior to 11.6.0.626. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat vector from the related CVE-2011-2115 and CVE-2011-2116 vulnerabilities, indicating multiple attack surfaces within the Shockwave runtime environment. The flaw manifests as an unspecified memory corruption issue that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems or cause denial of service conditions through system crashes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption flaws that can lead to privilege escalation and remote code execution. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious content that, when processed by the vulnerable Shockwave Player, triggers buffer overflows or other memory management errors within the IML32.dll library. These memory corruption issues typically arise from improper input validation or unsafe memory handling practices during the processing of multimedia content within the Shockwave framework. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires user interaction through the execution of malicious Shockwave content, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing environments where users frequently encounter multimedia content.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2111 extends beyond simple denial of service to encompass full system compromise capabilities. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can allow attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The memory corruption aspect makes exploitation particularly challenging for defenders as it can manifest in unpredictable ways, making detection and prevention more difficult. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Shockwave Player face significant risk exposure, especially in environments where users encounter untrusted web content or where the application is automatically executed through browser plugins.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, both of which are common manifestations of memory corruption flaws. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary code and establish persistent access. The most effective mitigations include immediate patch deployment to update Shockwave Player to version 11.6.0.626 or later, which addresses the underlying memory corruption issues. Additionally, organizations should implement browser security measures such as disabling Shockwave plugin execution, employing sandboxing techniques, and maintaining strict content filtering policies to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability in environments where the plugin cannot be immediately removed.