CVE-2012-5254 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
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR software ecosystems that affected multiple operating systems and platforms. The 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 and AIR SDK versions before their respective patch releases. The flaw enables remote code execution attacks through unspecified vectors that differ from other Flash Player buffer overflow vulnerabilities documented in Adobe's security bulletin APSB12-22.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs within the Flash Player's handling of multimedia content and scripting operations, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated memory buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where data is written past the end of a buffer allocated on the heap. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves crafting malicious Flash content that triggers the overflow during normal playback operations, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple platforms and represents a significant threat to enterprise and individual users alike. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user, potentially gaining full system control or establishing persistent backdoors. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and mobile platforms created an extensive attack surface, with the vulnerability affecting not only desktop environments but also mobile operating systems through the Android implementation. This cross-platform nature makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires multiple independent patching efforts across different operating system ecosystems.
Organizations and individuals should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the patched versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR software, as specified in the security advisories. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive patch management procedures, network monitoring for suspicious Flash content, and user education regarding the risks of executing untrusted Flash content. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls to block Flash content from untrusted sources and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software across all platforms and highlights the persistent security challenges associated with rich internet application platforms like Flash Player, which have historically been prime targets for attackers due to their complex codebases and extensive functionality. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security operations.