CVE-2011-2415 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-2011-2137, and CVE-2011-2414.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2415 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR software ecosystems. This security weakness affects multiple operating systems including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, and Android platforms, with varying version thresholds for vulnerability exposure. The flaw resides in the processing mechanisms of multimedia content within these applications, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate memory structures through carefully crafted input vectors. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 10.3.183.5 for Flash Player on desktop platforms and 10.3.186.3 for Android, while Adobe AIR remains vulnerable before versions 2.7.1 for Windows and Mac OS X and 2.7.1.1961 for Android systems. This issue differs significantly from other contemporaneous vulnerabilities such as CVE-2011-2130, CVE-2011-2134, CVE-2011-2137, and CVE-2011-2414, indicating a distinct code execution pathway that requires separate remediation approaches. The buffer overflow condition occurs when the software fails to properly validate input data length before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious code sequences. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions as critical memory safety issues. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables attackers to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, and potentially establish persistent access to compromised systems. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments, where users frequently interact with multimedia content from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves crafting malicious Flash content or web pages that trigger the buffer overflow during normal player operation, leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the compromised application. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting the flash player process to execute malicious payloads. The remediation strategy requires immediate deployment of patched versions from Adobe, with system administrators implementing network-based protections such as content filtering and application whitelisting to prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling Flash Player functionality where possible, as the vulnerability landscape for Flash-based applications has historically been particularly severe. The incident underscores the importance of regular security updates and the dangers of legacy software in enterprise environments where multiple attack vectors exist for similar vulnerabilities. Security teams must also implement monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns and system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as these buffer overflow vulnerabilities often result in system instability or unexpected application crashes that can serve as early indicators of compromise.