CVE-2012-5256 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 • 04/14/2021
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to specific patched releases contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability affects multiple platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various Android versions, with distinct affected ranges for each operating system. The flaw manifests as unspecified vectors that differ from other memory corruption vulnerabilities documented in the same advisory APSB12-22, indicating a unique attack surface that requires specific mitigation approaches.
The technical nature of this vulnerability resides in improper memory handling mechanisms within the Flash Player runtime environment. When processing specially crafted malicious content, the player's memory management routines fail to properly validate input data, leading to buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. These conditions can be exploited by attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple memory corruption as it can be leveraged to completely compromise affected systems through carefully constructed attack payloads.
Operating system and platform variations in the vulnerability scope demonstrate the complexity of the Flash Player security landscape during this period. Windows and Mac OS X versions require different patched releases compared to Linux implementations, while Android versions show platform-specific affected ranges that reflect varying levels of security hardening across mobile operating systems. Adobe AIR applications and SDKs are also impacted, indicating that the vulnerability affects not just the standalone Flash Player but also the broader Adobe runtime environment used for mobile and desktop applications. This cross-platform nature increases the attack surface significantly and requires comprehensive patch management across all affected environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with a means to achieve remote code execution without requiring user interaction in many scenarios. Systems running affected Flash Player versions become vulnerable to exploitation through web browsers, email attachments, or any other delivery mechanism that can trigger Flash content execution. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. Organizations with legacy Flash content deployed across their networks face particularly high risk due to the difficulty in immediately removing or updating Flash components.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patch deployment across all affected platforms and versions as provided by Adobe security updates. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit Flash Player access where possible and consider disabling Flash content in web browsers entirely. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns, and deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-122 and CWE-125 memory corruption weaknesses, and its exploitation techniques may map to ATT&CK tactics including execution through malicious code and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider transitioning away from Flash-based content entirely due to the cumulative security risks associated with this technology.