CVE-2012-5262 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-2012-5262 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR platforms across multiple operating systems and mobile environments. This security weakness affects various versions of Flash Player including those 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, and specific versions on Android platforms. The vulnerability also extends to Adobe AIR versions prior to 3.4.0.2710 and corresponding AIR SDK versions, making it a widespread issue affecting multiple Adobe products. This flaw falls under the CWE-121 CWE category, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient memory protection mechanisms allow attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially execute malicious code.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the Flash Player and AIR runtime environments. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that typically involve crafting malicious Flash content or SWF files designed to trigger the buffer overflow condition when processed by vulnerable applications. The exploitation mechanism leverages the inherent memory corruption capabilities of buffer overflows to overwrite critical program execution structures such as return addresses, function pointers, or other control flow data. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which involves executing malicious code through application-specific vulnerabilities, specifically targeting runtime environments like Flash Player. The memory corruption allows attackers to redirect program execution to malicious code injected into the buffer overflow, effectively bypassing security mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to affected systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5262 extends far beyond simple code execution capabilities, as it represents a significant threat vector for widespread compromise across enterprise and consumer environments. Given that Flash Player was extensively deployed across Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Android platforms, the potential attack surface was enormous, affecting millions of users globally. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Flash Player and AIR applications faced substantial risk of privilege escalation, system compromise, and potential data breaches. The vulnerability's presence in mobile environments including Android 2.x, 3.x, and 4.x platforms meant that mobile device users were equally at risk, particularly in enterprise settings where mobile device management was becoming increasingly important. The fact that this vulnerability was distinct from other Flash Player buffer overflow CVEs in APSB12-22 indicates that attackers had multiple pathways to exploit similar weaknesses, increasing the overall threat landscape. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it could be triggered through web browsing activities, making it extremely difficult to defend against through traditional network security measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5262 required immediate patching of affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR versions, with organizations needing to implement comprehensive software update management processes. The primary remediation approach involved upgrading to patched versions of Adobe Flash Player, AIR, and AIR SDK, specifically targeting the version numbers mentioned in the vulnerability description. Security administrators should have implemented network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls to prevent execution of malicious Flash content. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should have been enforced by disabling Flash Player in web browsers where it was not essential for business operations. Organizations needed to conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable versions and establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all software components, particularly those with broad deployment like Flash Player. Security teams should have implemented endpoint protection solutions with behavioral monitoring capabilities to detect anomalous execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The incident underscored the critical need for organizations to maintain robust patch management processes and security awareness training to prevent successful exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.