CVE-2012-5275 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.43 and 11.x before 11.5.502.110 on Windows and Mac OS X, before 10.3.183.43 and 11.x before 11.2.202.251 on Linux, before 11.1.111.24 on Android 2.x and 3.x, and before 11.1.115.27 on Android 4.x; Adobe AIR before 3.5.0.600; and Adobe AIR SDK before 3.5.0.600 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-5274, CVE-2012-5276, CVE-2012-5277, and CVE-2012-5280.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2021
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical buffer overflow vulnerability that affected multiple operating systems and versions of the software. This vulnerability existed in Flash Player versions prior to 10.3.183.43 for Windows and Mac OS X, 10.3.183.43 for Linux, 11.5.502.110 for Android 2.x and 3.x, and 11.1.115.27 for Android 4.x, as well as in Adobe AIR versions before 3.5.0.600 and the corresponding AIR SDK versions. The flaw allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems through unspecified attack vectors that differed from other related vulnerabilities in the same timeframe. This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when a program writes more data to a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to gain control over the affected system.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in memory management within the Flash Player runtime environment. The vulnerability likely occurred during the processing of multimedia content or script execution where insufficient bounds checking was performed on user-supplied data. When maliciously crafted content was processed by the vulnerable Flash Player, the buffer overflow would overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing an attacker to redirect program execution flow and inject malicious code. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 buffer overflow category, specifically classified as a stack-based buffer overflow that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The exploitation of such vulnerabilities aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution phase, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to run malicious code on target systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5275 was significant given the widespread adoption of Adobe Flash Player across desktop and mobile platforms. The vulnerability affected not only traditional desktop operating systems but also mobile environments, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise a broad range of devices. The fact that multiple versions of Flash Player and AIR were affected across different platforms meant that organizations had to implement patch management across diverse technology stacks. Security researchers and threat intelligence teams identified this vulnerability as part of a broader pattern of Flash-based exploits that targeted the browser plugin ecosystem. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems.
Organizations and users needed to implement immediate remediation measures to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary mitigation strategy involved applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released by Adobe to address the buffer overflow conditions in the affected software versions. System administrators should have prioritized patch deployment across all vulnerable Flash Player installations, particularly in enterprise environments where the risk of exploitation was highest. Additional defensive measures included implementing content filtering solutions to block potentially malicious Flash content, disabling Flash Player in web browsers where possible, and monitoring network traffic for indicators of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered security approaches to protect against zero-day exploits that could leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities in widely used software components. Organizations should have also considered implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of Flash content to only trusted sources, thereby reducing the attack surface for this class of vulnerabilities.