CVE-2011-2445 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.11 and 11.x before 11.1.102.55 on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris and before 11.1.102.59 on Android, and Adobe AIR before 3.1.0.4880, allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2451, CVE-2011-2452, CVE-2011-2453, CVE-2011-2454, CVE-2011-2455, CVE-2011-2459, and CVE-2011-2460.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2018
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 10.3.183.11 and 11.x versions before 11.1.102.55 across multiple operating systems and Adobe AIR versions before 3.1.0.4880 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically affected Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris platforms for the Flash Player, while Android devices were impacted by versions before 11.1.102.59. The flaw manifested as an unspecified vector that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized system access and execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. The vulnerability represented a distinct threat model from several other related vulnerabilities including CVE-2011-2451 through CVE-2011-2460, indicating a unique attack surface that required separate remediation approaches. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework, particularly those targeting memory safety issues that are frequently exploited in the cyber threat landscape. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory" and represents a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption exploit that could be leveraged for privilege escalation and system compromise. The widespread impact across multiple platforms and operating systems made this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be exploited against diverse user bases. Security researchers identified this issue as a critical threat to enterprise environments where Flash Player was commonly used for web content delivery, making it a prime target for advanced persistent threat actors seeking to establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability's potential for denial of service alongside remote code execution capabilities created a dual threat that could be used to either disrupt services or gain complete system control. Organizations deploying these vulnerable versions faced significant risk exposure due to the broad attack surface and the sophisticated nature of memory corruption exploits that could bypass standard security controls. The remediation process required immediate patch deployment across all affected platforms, including mobile operating systems, highlighting the interconnected nature of modern software ecosystems where vulnerabilities in one component could impact multiple device categories. This vulnerability demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the risks associated with legacy software components that remain in widespread use despite known security flaws. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability align with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique for exploitation of software vulnerabilities, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through memory corruption attacks that leverage the inherent weaknesses in Flash Player's memory management systems. The impact extended beyond simple exploitation to include potential privilege escalation scenarios where attackers could leverage the memory corruption to gain elevated system privileges and establish persistent backdoors within compromised environments. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive patch management strategies to address this vulnerability across their entire infrastructure, recognizing that the Flash Player's widespread adoption across various platforms created a complex attack surface that required coordinated remediation efforts. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue also highlighted the need for better memory safety practices in software development, particularly in legacy systems that had not been updated to incorporate modern security measures and defensive programming techniques.