CVE-2012-5252 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.29 and 11.x before 11.4.402.287 on Windows and Mac OS X, before 10.3.183.29 and 11.x before 11.2.202.243 on Linux, before 11.1.111.19 on Android 2.x and 3.x, and before 11.1.115.20 on Android 4.x; Adobe AIR before 3.4.0.2710; and Adobe AIR SDK before 3.4.0.2710 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than other Flash Player memory corruption CVEs listed in APSB12-22.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2017
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to specific patched releases contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability affected multiple operating systems including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various Android versions, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw across different platforms. The vulnerability existed in both Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments, indicating a fundamental issue within the Adobe runtime architecture that required comprehensive patching across multiple products. The memory corruption occurred through unspecified attack vectors that differed from other Flash Player vulnerabilities documented in the same advisory, suggesting this was a distinct and potentially more severe flaw within the software's memory management systems. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple code execution to include denial of service conditions, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on Flash content for functionality. This flaw represented a significant security risk because Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise and consumer environments, providing attackers with a broad attack surface for exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involved memory corruption that could be triggered through malformed input processing within the Flash Player runtime. Attackers could craft malicious Flash content or web pages that, when loaded by an affected Flash Player installation, would cause memory corruption in the application's heap or stack memory regions. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient bounds checking or improper memory handling during content rendering or script execution. The memory corruption could potentially be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's complexity lay in its ability to affect multiple versions and platforms simultaneously, requiring coordinated patching efforts across different product lines and operating systems. The fact that this vulnerability was different from other Flash Player memory corruption issues in the same advisory suggests it involved unique memory handling patterns or data structures that were not addressed by previous patches, making it particularly challenging to detect and remediate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe for organizations relying on Flash Player content, as it provided attackers with a reliable method for gaining unauthorized access to systems. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across enterprise networks meant that exploitation could occur through standard web browsing activities, making detection and prevention difficult. Organizations faced the challenge of identifying all affected installations across their networks, including legacy systems and mobile devices running older Android versions. The vulnerability's presence in Adobe AIR applications further extended the attack surface, as AIR applications often had elevated privileges and could access system resources beyond typical web content. Security teams had to balance the need for immediate patching with the potential for disrupting existing applications that relied on vulnerable Flash components. The vulnerability also highlighted the risks associated with running outdated software versions, as the affected versions had been released prior to the patching timeline, leaving organizations exposed for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required comprehensive patch management across all affected platforms and products. Organizations needed to prioritize immediate deployment of patches for Flash Player versions 10.3.183.29 and 11.4.402.287 on Windows and Mac OS X, 10.3.183.29 and 11.2.202.243 on Linux, 11.1.111.19 on Android 2.x and 3.x, and 11.1.115.20 on Android 4.x. Adobe AIR installations required patching to versions 3.4.0.2710 or later, with corresponding updates for the AIR SDK. Security teams should have implemented network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and established temporary security measures such as disabling Flash content in web browsers. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common memory corruption patterns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving privilege escalation and code injection, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent access through the Flash Player runtime. Organizations also needed to consider the broader implications of continued Flash usage, as this vulnerability was part of a larger pattern of security issues that ultimately led to the industry's move away from Flash Player toward modern web standards.