CVE-2012-5287 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 • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5287 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments across multiple platforms and operating systems. This vulnerability affects versions prior to specific patches including Flash Player 10.3.183.29 and 11.x versions before 11.4.402.287 on windows and mac os x, Flash Player versions before 10.3.183.29 and 11.x before 11.2.202.243 on Linux, Android versions before 11.1.111.19 on 2.x and 3.x platforms, and Android 4.x versions before 11.1.115.20, along with corresponding Adobe AIR versions before 3.4.0.2710 and AIR SDK versions before 3.4.0.2710. The flaw falls under the CWE-121 buffer overflow category, specifically CWE-125 which denotes out-of-bounds read conditions, and represents a significant security risk that enables remote code execution through unspecified attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the Flash Player and AIR runtime components. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious content that triggers memory corruption during processing of multimedia or web content, allowing for arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website or opening a malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks. This particular vulnerability differs from other Flash Player buffer overflow issues documented in APSB12-22, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling mechanism that was not addressed by previous patches targeting similar issues.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5287 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and persistent threat capabilities. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute malicious code on vulnerable systems, potentially leading to full system control, data exfiltration, and establishment of persistent backdoors. The cross-platform nature of this vulnerability across Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various Android versions makes it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking maximum impact. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile platforms creates a broad attack surface that can be leveraged through various delivery mechanisms including malicious websites, email attachments, and compromised web applications. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player or AIR runtime environments face significant risk of compromise, particularly in enterprise environments where these components are widely deployed for multimedia content delivery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5287 require immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR installations across all supported platforms and operating systems. System administrators should prioritize updating to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR, with specific attention to the version numbers mentioned in the advisory. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, disabling Flash Player in web browsers where possible, and deploying network monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activity related to Flash Player exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, combined with T1078 for valid accounts and T1133 for external remote services, indicates that exploitation may involve multiple attack vectors and techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing browser sandboxing technologies and maintaining updated threat intelligence feeds to detect and respond to exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that all affected systems have been properly patched and that no residual vulnerabilities remain in the environment.