CVE-2011-2425 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
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 or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2135, CVE-2011-2140, and CVE-2011-2417.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2021
Adobe Flash Player and AIR versions prior to specified patches contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability exists in multiple operating system platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, and Android, making it particularly dangerous due to its widespread impact across different environments. The flaw manifests through unspecified attack vectors that differ from previously known vulnerabilities such as CVE-2011-2135, CVE-2011-2140, and CVE-2011-2417, indicating this represents a distinct class of memory corruption issues within the Flash runtime environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the Flash Player and AIR runtime components. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when applications fail to properly validate or manage memory operations, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code. This particular flaw likely involves buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that can be exploited through crafted Flash content. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile platforms demonstrates the extensive reach of the underlying memory management issues within Adobe's runtime implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing remote attackers to gain full system control or cause system instability through denial of service conditions. Attackers could craft malicious Flash content that, when executed by an unpatched victim, would trigger memory corruption leading to code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This could result in complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation. The denial of service aspect could render systems unusable through memory exhaustion or process termination, affecting both individual users and enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR versions across all supported platforms. Organizations should implement network segmentation and content filtering to prevent execution of untrusted Flash content, particularly in enterprise environments. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to code injection and privilege escalation. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise including unusual memory consumption patterns or unexpected process behavior. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting policies and disabling Flash execution in web browsers can provide additional defense layers against exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in Flash runtime security and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software across all platforms. Given the widespread use of Flash in web applications and the complexity of the runtime environment, this vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs and regular security assessments of runtime components. Organizations should also consider migrating away from Flash-based applications to modern web standards that provide better security guarantees and more predictable memory management behaviors.