CVE-2012-5253 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in 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 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than other Flash Player buffer overflow CVEs listed in APSB12-22.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5253 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that affected multiple operating systems and device platforms. This vulnerability exists in Flash Player versions prior to 10.3.183.29 for Windows and Mac OS X, 11.x versions before 11.4.402.287 for Windows and Mac OS X, 10.3.183.29 and 11.x versions before 11.2.202.243 on Linux, Android 2.x and 3.x versions before 11.1.111.19, and Android 4.x versions before 11.1.115.20, as well as Adobe AIR versions before 3.4.0.2710 and Adobe AIR SDK versions before 3.4.0.2710. The flaw specifically impacts the processing of certain data structures within the Flash Player runtime environment, creating opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems.
This buffer overflow vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in the Flash Player's handling of multimedia content and data structures, particularly affecting how the runtime processes certain types of embedded content. The technical implementation flaw allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated memory buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting critical memory locations including return addresses and function pointers. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which describes "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and is commonly exploited in privilege escalation scenarios. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" when exploited in targeted attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5253 is substantial given the widespread deployment of Adobe Flash Player across enterprise networks and consumer devices. The vulnerability enables remote code execution attacks that can be delivered through malicious web content, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently browse the internet or access untrusted websites. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain complete system compromise, install backdoors, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability means that organizations using Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various mobile platforms were all at risk, requiring comprehensive patch management strategies across multiple operating system environments. Security professionals noted that the vulnerability was distinct from other Flash Player buffer overflow issues documented in APSB12-22, suggesting unique exploitation vectors that required specific defensive measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5253 primarily centered on immediate patch deployment and system hardening measures. Organizations were advised to update to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments, specifically versions 10.3.183.29 and 11.4.402.287 for Windows and Mac OS X, 11.2.202.243 for Linux, 11.1.111.19 for Android 2.x and 3.x, and 11.1.115.20 for Android 4.x. Network-level defenses included implementing web filtering solutions to block Flash content from untrusted sources and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additionally, Adobe recommended disabling Flash Player in web browsers when not actively needed, implementing application whitelisting policies, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potentially vulnerable systems. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and demonstrated the critical need for organizations to maintain comprehensive asset inventories across all supported platforms to ensure complete remediation coverage.