CVE-2014-0540 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.241 and 14.x before 14.0.0.176 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.400 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 14.0.0.178 on Windows and OS X and before 14.0.0.179 on Android, Adobe AIR SDK before 14.0.0.178, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 14.0.0.178 do not properly restrict discovery of memory addresses, which allows attackers to bypass the ASLR protection mechanism via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-0542, CVE-2014-0543, CVE-2014-0544, and CVE-2014-0545.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2022
Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR implementations contained a critical vulnerability that undermined fundamental memory protection mechanisms on multiple operating systems. This vulnerability specifically targeted the Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) security feature, which is designed to randomize the memory layout of processes to prevent exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The flaw existed in Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.241 and 14.x before 14.0.0.176 on Windows and OS X, and in versions prior to 11.2.202.400 on Linux. Similar issues affected Adobe AIR versions before 14.0.0.178 on Windows and OS X, and before 14.0.0.179 on Android, along with corresponding Adobe AIR SDK versions. The vulnerability allowed attackers to discover memory addresses through unspecified vectors, effectively bypassing ASLR protections that are essential for modern exploit mitigation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes improper restriction of operations within a memory buffer, and represents a significant weakness in the memory management and address space protection mechanisms of Adobe's runtime environments. This flaw enabled attackers to perform information disclosure attacks that could reveal memory layout details, including base addresses of loaded libraries and executable code segments. The bypass of ASLR protection mechanisms fundamentally undermined the security posture of systems running vulnerable Adobe software, as it removed one of the primary defenses against exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. Attackers could leverage this information to craft more sophisticated exploits that would otherwise be impossible to develop without knowledge of the memory layout.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe and widespread, affecting millions of users across different platforms and operating systems. Systems running vulnerable versions of Adobe Flash Player and AIR were exposed to increased risk of successful exploitation of other vulnerabilities present in the same software environments. The vulnerability created a pathway for attackers to circumvent multiple layers of security, potentially enabling remote code execution attacks against systems that would otherwise be protected by ASLR. Organizations using Adobe Flash Player in enterprise environments faced significant exposure, as this vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems, steal sensitive information, or deploy additional malicious payloads. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability meant that organizations needed to address patches across multiple operating systems and software variants, increasing the complexity and urgency of remediation efforts.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability required immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR versions across all supported platforms. System administrators needed to ensure that all vulnerable installations were updated to the patched versions, including the specific version numbers mentioned in the CVE description. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive monitoring to detect any exploitation attempts and established incident response procedures to address potential breaches. Security teams needed to consider this vulnerability as part of a broader exploitation landscape, recognizing that bypassing ASLR often enables more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered security approaches, as reliance on a single protection mechanism like ASLR can be insufficient if other security features are compromised. Additionally, organizations should have reviewed their Adobe Flash Player deployment policies and considered alternative approaches to reduce reliance on potentially vulnerable software components, particularly as Adobe Flash Player was increasingly targeted by cyber adversaries. This vulnerability exemplified the critical importance of maintaining robust security practices across all software components, regardless of their perceived risk level, and demonstrated how seemingly minor flaws in memory management could have significant consequences for overall system security.