CVE-2011-2137 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.5 on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris and before 10.3.186.3 on Android, and Adobe AIR before 2.7.1 on Windows and Mac OS X and before 2.7.1.1961 on Android, allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2130, CVE-2011-2134, CVE-2011-2414, and CVE-2011-2415.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2137 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR applications across multiple operating systems and platforms. This security weakness affects versions prior to specific patched releases including Flash Player 10.3.183.5 for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris, as well as Flash Player 10.3.186.3 for Android, and Adobe AIR versions 2.7.1 for Windows and Mac OS X, and 2.7.1.1961 for Android. The vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that distinguish it from related security issues such as CVE-2011-2130, CVE-2011-2134, CVE-2011-2414, and CVE-2011-2415, indicating a unique exploitation methodology that requires careful analysis of the underlying software architecture.
This buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the Flash Player and AIR runtime environments. The technical flaw occurs when the software fails to properly bounds-check data structures during processing of multimedia content, specifically affecting how the application handles memory allocation for buffer operations. When maliciously crafted data is processed by the vulnerable software, it can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability manifests as a classic stack-based or heap-based buffer overflow depending on the specific code path triggered during content processing, making it particularly dangerous for exploitation purposes.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2137 extends across multiple platforms and deployment scenarios, creating widespread risk for organizations utilizing Adobe Flash content. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, and persistent backdoor access. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability means that security teams must address the issue across Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, and Android environments simultaneously, complicating remediation efforts. Organizations relying on Flash-based web applications, multimedia presentations, or rich internet applications face significant exposure, as the vulnerability can be exploited through web browsers, desktop applications, or mobile platforms.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory software updates to patched versions, network segmentation to limit exposure, and enhanced monitoring of suspicious network traffic. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflows depending on the specific exploitation technique. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation typically leads to elevated system privileges and persistent access. Organizations should prioritize patch management procedures and consider implementing application whitelisting to prevent execution of vulnerable Flash content, while also conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all potentially affected systems within their network infrastructure.