CVE-2012-0772 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
An unspecified ActiveX control in Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.18 and 11.x before 11.2.202.228, and AIR before 3.2.0.2070, on Windows does not properly perform URL security domain checking, which allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0772 represents a critical security flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that affected numerous Windows systems from 2012 through 2013. This issue stems from improper URL security domain checking within an unspecified ActiveX control, creating a fundamental weakness in the application's security model that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically impacted Flash Player versions prior to 10.3.183.18 and 11.x versions before 11.2.202.228, along with AIR versions before 3.2.0.2070, making it a widespread concern across the Adobe ecosystem.
The technical flaw in CVE-2012-0772 manifests as a failure in the security domain validation mechanism that should prevent cross-domain script execution and memory access violations. When Flash Player processes content from different domains, it relies on security domain checking to ensure that malicious code cannot access protected resources or execute arbitrary commands. The improper implementation of this check allows attackers to bypass these security boundaries through carefully crafted attack vectors that exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities. This weakness creates a pathway for privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution, potentially enabling full system compromise when exploited successfully.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions through memory corruption. Attackers could leverage this flaw to cause system instability, application crashes, or even complete system compromise through carefully constructed malicious content. The vulnerability's exploitation potential was particularly concerning given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments, making it an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking to gain unauthorized access to systems. The memory corruption aspect of the vulnerability could lead to unpredictable behavior, making detection and remediation more challenging for security professionals.
Organizations affected by CVE-2012-0772 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to address the vulnerability in their Adobe Flash Player and AIR installations. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to the patched versions of Adobe Flash Player and AIR, specifically versions 10.3.183.18 and 11.2.202.228 for Flash Player, and 3.2.0.2070 for AIR. Security administrators should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as disabling Flash Player in web browsers, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems, and monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a significant concern from an ATT&CK perspective under the privilege escalation and execution techniques categories, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges.