CVE-2014-0499 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 11.7.700.269 and 11.8.x through 12.0.x before 12.0.0.70 on Windows and Mac OS X and before 11.2.202.341 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 4.0.0.1628 on Android, Adobe AIR SDK before 4.0.0.1628, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 4.0.0.1628 do not prevent access to address information, which makes it easier for attackers to bypass the ASLR protection mechanism via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2021
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 11.7.700.269 and 11.8.x through 12.0.x before 12.0.0.70 on Windows and Mac OS X platforms, along with versions before 11.2.202.341 on Linux, combined with affected Adobe AIR versions on Android and related SDKs, contained a critical vulnerability that undermined fundamental security mechanisms. This flaw specifically targeted the Address Space Layout Randomization protection scheme, which is a crucial defense against exploitation techniques that rely on predictable memory addresses. The vulnerability manifested through unspecified vectors that allowed attackers to access address information that should have remained hidden from unauthorized access. This exposure directly enabled adversaries to bypass ASLR protections that are designed to randomize memory layout addresses, making it significantly easier to predict memory locations and execute successful exploits against vulnerable systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-254, which addresses security weaknesses related to improper handling of address information and memory layout details. The flaw essentially created information disclosure channels that revealed memory addresses used by the Flash Player runtime, thereby undermining the effectiveness of ASLR implementations. Attackers could leverage this information to construct more sophisticated exploitation payloads, particularly those targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities that depend on precise address calculations. The impact was particularly severe on Windows and Mac OS X platforms where Flash Player was widely deployed, as these systems typically relied heavily on ASLR as a primary defense mechanism against buffer overflow and similar exploits. This vulnerability represented a significant regression in security posture, as it essentially provided attackers with the information needed to defeat one of the most important modern exploit mitigation techniques.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extended beyond simple information disclosure, as it enabled more sophisticated attack vectors that could lead to complete system compromise. The flaw affected not just individual applications but entire operating system security frameworks, particularly in environments where Flash Player was frequently used for web browsing and multimedia content delivery. Organizations running affected versions faced increased risk of successful exploitation, especially in environments with less robust network segmentation or where users frequently accessed untrusted web content. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it affected multiple platforms and deployment scenarios, including mobile environments through Adobe AIR on Android devices. Attackers could potentially combine this information leak with other vulnerabilities to create more effective exploitation chains, making the overall threat landscape more dangerous for organizations running affected software versions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR versions across all supported platforms. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive inventory tracking to identify all systems running vulnerable versions and prioritized patch deployment with appropriate testing procedures. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrated how seemingly minor flaws in security mechanisms could have cascading effects on overall system security. Security teams should have reviewed their incident response procedures to ensure rapid deployment of patches and monitoring for exploitation attempts. Additional mitigations included network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls to reduce exposure, though these were considered temporary measures until proper patching could be implemented. The vulnerability also emphasized the need for regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar issues in other software components that might be vulnerable to similar information disclosure attacks.