CVE-2013-3344 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 11.7.700.232 and 11.8.x before 11.8.800.94 on Windows and Mac OS X, before 11.2.202.297 on Linux, before 11.1.111.64 on Android 2.x and 3.x, and before 11.1.115.69 on Android 4.x allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3344 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player versions prior to specific patch releases across multiple operating systems and platforms. This flaw exists within the memory management mechanisms of Flash Player's runtime environment, specifically affecting Windows and Mac OS X systems running versions before 11.7.700.232 and 11.8.x before 11.8.800.94, while also impacting Linux systems before 11.2.202.297, and various Android versions with their respective patch thresholds. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during heap memory allocation and manipulation processes, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit memory corruption weaknesses that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when Flash Player processes certain multimedia content or embedded objects that trigger memory allocation patterns which exceed the intended buffer boundaries. This heap-based vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate memory locations beyond allocated heap space, potentially overwriting critical program data, function pointers, or return addresses. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the attack could be triggered through various content delivery methods including web pages, email attachments, or other Flash-based media that when rendered by the vulnerable Flash Player component, initiates the exploitable memory corruption sequence. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow classification, which is categorized as a memory safety issue in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-3344 is severe and far-reaching given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise networks and consumer devices. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can achieve complete system compromise, enabling them to execute malicious code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which typically runs with user-level permissions but can potentially escalate to system-level access depending on the target environment. The vulnerability's cross-platform nature means that organizations using multiple operating systems and mobile platforms must address the issue across their entire IT infrastructure, creating significant administrative overhead and security risk exposure. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through Flash and T1068 for privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player remains actively used.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory patching of all affected Flash Player installations across all supported platforms, along with network-level restrictions that block Flash content delivery where possible. The recommended remediation approach involves deploying the latest stable Flash Player versions that contain the memory safety fixes and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any remaining vulnerable systems. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict Flash Player execution to trusted domains only, while monitoring network traffic for suspicious Flash-related activity. Additionally, organizations should consider transitioning away from Flash Player content entirely, as Adobe officially discontinued Flash Player support in 2020, making continued use of vulnerable versions inadvisable from both security and compatibility perspectives. The vulnerability's exploitation potential makes it a high-priority target for threat actors, particularly in environments where Flash Player remains active and unpatched.