CVE-2012-0763 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
The Shockwave 3D Asset component in Adobe Shockwave Player before 11.6.4.634 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0757, CVE-2012-0760, CVE-2012-0761, CVE-2012-0762, CVE-2012-0764, and CVE-2012-0766.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0763 affects the Shockwave 3D Asset component within Adobe Shockwave Player versions prior to 11.6.4.634, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution and denial of service conditions through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability operates within the broader context of web browser and multimedia plugin security, where the Shockwave Player component serves as a critical interface for rendering 3D content and interactive media within web environments. The affected component specifically handles 3D asset processing and rendering, making it a prime target for exploitation due to the complex nature of 3D graphics processing and memory management requirements inherent in such systems. The vulnerability's designation as a memory corruption issue indicates that attackers can manipulate memory structures through crafted input, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the Shockwave 3D Asset processing pipeline. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious Shockwave content that, when processed by the vulnerable player, triggers memory corruption conditions. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack pathways exist, potentially including malformed 3D asset files, specific parameter combinations, or unusual processing sequences that cause the player to access invalid memory locations or execute unintended code paths. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and aligns with common CWE classifications such as CWE-121 for heap-based buffer overflow conditions, CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read errors, or CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write conditions that are frequently exploited in multimedia processing components. The vulnerability's distinction from related CVEs including CVE-2012-0757 through CVE-2012-0766 indicates that while they share similar attack surfaces, each represents a unique implementation flaw within the Shockwave Player's processing architecture.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0763 extends beyond simple exploitation to encompass significant risks for enterprise and individual users alike. Organizations deploying Shockwave Player components face potential compromise through drive-by download attacks where users visiting malicious websites trigger the vulnerability automatically. The memory corruption nature means that successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable application. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have elevated privileges or access to sensitive systems. The denial of service aspect can also be leveraged for persistent attacks, where continuous exploitation can render systems unusable or force repeated system restarts, creating availability issues that can disrupt business operations. The vulnerability's presence in widely distributed multimedia player software means that exploitation can occur across numerous attack vectors including email attachments, compromised websites, and malicious content distributed through various digital channels.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0763 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates, as Adobe released version 11.6.4.634 to address the identified memory corruption issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of Shockwave Player are updated to the latest secure version, while also considering the complete removal of the plugin from systems where it is not essential for business operations. Network-level defenses should include content filtering and web proxy configurations that can block or sanitize Shockwave content, particularly when such content originates from untrusted sources. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious Shockwave-related network traffic and system behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving exploit development and execution, specifically T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage and T1203 for exploitation for client execution, as attackers leverage the plugin's functionality to execute malicious code. The vulnerability's nature also suggests that defense-in-depth strategies including application whitelisting, sandboxing of multimedia applications, and user education about avoiding untrusted Shockwave content should be implemented to reduce the attack surface and potential impact of exploitation attempts.