CVE-2013-3347 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer 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 PCM data that is not properly handled during resampling.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2021
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical integer overflow vulnerability that affected multiple platform versions prior to specific patch releases. This flaw existed in the handling of PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) audio data during the resampling process, where the software failed to properly validate or constrain integer values that could exceed their allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability specifically manifested when Flash Player processed audio data that required resampling operations, creating conditions where attackers could manipulate input parameters to trigger arithmetic overflow conditions that ultimately led to memory corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the audio processing pipeline of Flash Player. When PCM data was processed for resampling, the application performed mathematical operations on integer values that represented buffer sizes or sample counts without adequate overflow protection mechanisms. This integer overflow condition allowed attackers to manipulate the memory layout by causing unexpected behavior in memory allocation routines, potentially leading to buffer overflows or other memory corruption scenarios. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it occurred during legitimate audio processing operations, making it difficult to distinguish between normal and malicious input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe across all affected platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and various Android versions. Attackers could exploit this flaw by crafting specially designed Flash content that would trigger the vulnerable resampling code path when played in a vulnerable Flash Player installation. Successful exploitation resulted in arbitrary code execution capabilities, allowing attackers to take complete control of the affected system. This made the vulnerability particularly attractive for advanced persistent threat actors and malware authors who could leverage it to establish persistent footholds in target environments. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability meant that organizations needed to implement patches across multiple operating systems and device types.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate deployment of vendor-provided security patches that addressed the integer overflow conditions in the audio processing code. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected Flash Player installations were updated promptly. Network-based mitigations such as content filtering and sandboxing measures could provide additional protection layers, though these were not sufficient to prevent exploitation entirely. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper input validation and integer overflow protection in multimedia processing libraries, aligning with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-190 for integer overflow and CWE-122 for buffer overflow conditions. Security frameworks like ATT&CK taxonomy would categorize this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter with the specific focus on application layer exploitation through multimedia processing components.