CVE-2011-2115 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
IML32.dll in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.6.0.626 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted tSAC chunk, which triggers a heap-based buffer overflow, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2111 and CVE-2011-2116.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2115 affects Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.6.0.626 and earlier, specifically within the IML32.dll component. This flaw represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution or cause denial of service. The vulnerability manifests when processing a specially crafted tSAC chunk within Shockwave content, demonstrating the dangerous potential of multimedia player components to become attack vectors for system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking within the IML32.dll library when handling tSAC chunks in Shockwave files. Attackers can construct malicious Shockwave content with oversized or malformed tSAC chunks that exceed the allocated buffer space in memory. This heap-based buffer overflow occurs because the application fails to validate the size of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers, creating opportunities for memory corruption that can be leveraged by malicious actors. The flaw operates independently from other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2011-2111 and CVE-2011-2116, making it a distinct but equally dangerous threat vector within the Shockwave Player ecosystem.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2115 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The memory corruption can result in application crashes, system instability, or more severe consequences including privilege escalation. Given that Shockwave Player was widely distributed and used for multimedia content delivery, the potential attack surface was substantial, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments and individual users alike.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation strategies including disabling Shockwave Player functionality where possible, applying the vendor-provided patches, and implementing network-based controls to block suspicious Shockwave content. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under initial access and execution phases. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected versions and ensure timely patch deployment, while monitoring network traffic for potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability within the Shockwave Player ecosystem.