CVE-2011-2446 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
The DIRapi library in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.6.3.633 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2448.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2446 affects the DIRapi library within Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.6.3.633 and earlier. This flaw represents a critical security issue that enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution or induce denial of service conditions through unspecified attack vectors. The vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2011-2448, indicating that multiple weaknesses exist within the same software component. The DIRapi library serves as a core component for Shockwave Player functionality, handling various data processing operations that make it a prime target for exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from memory corruption issues within the DIRapi library implementation. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when software writes data beyond allocated memory boundaries or manipulates memory in unintended ways. These flaws often manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that can be exploited to execute malicious code or crash the application. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack paths exist, potentially including malformed input processing, improper memory handling during data parsing, or insufficient validation of user-supplied data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations and individual users who have Adobe Shockwave Player installed. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely means that attackers could gain full control of affected systems, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or use as a pivot point for further attacks within a network. The denial of service component adds additional risk as attackers could disrupt legitimate business operations by causing Shockwave Player to crash or become unresponsive. Given that Shockwave Player was widely distributed and used for multimedia content delivery, the potential attack surface for this vulnerability was extensive.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common manifestations of memory corruption flaws. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability would likely map to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and potentially T1190 for exploit public-facing application, as attackers would exploit the Shockwave Player to gain system access. The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond individual users to include enterprise environments where Shockwave Player was commonly deployed for training, presentations, and multimedia applications.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to Adobe Shockwave Player version 11.6.3.633 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit exposure and monitor for suspicious activity related to Shockwave Player usage. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of executing untrusted content and the importance of keeping software updated. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular security patching and the need for organizations to maintain comprehensive software inventory management to identify and remediate such risks promptly.