CVE-2014-0577 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.252 and 14.x and 15.x before 15.0.0.223 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.418 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 15.0.0.356, Adobe AIR SDK before 15.0.0.356, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 15.0.0.356 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging an unspecified "type confusion," a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-0584, CVE-2014-0585, CVE-2014-0586, and CVE-2014-0590.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.252 and 14.x and 15.x before 15.0.0.223 on Windows and OS X, along with Adobe AIR versions before 15.0.0.356 and related SDK versions on Linux, contained a critical type confusion vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically exploited an unspecified type confusion flaw within the Flash Player runtime environment, distinct from other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2014-0584 through CVE-2014-0590. The type confusion issue arose from improper handling of data types during runtime execution, where the application failed to properly validate or manage object type information, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures and execute malicious code. This vulnerability falls under CWE-476 which represents a null pointer dereference, though more specifically relates to improper type handling and memory corruption patterns common in runtime environments. The attack vector typically involved crafting malicious Flash content that would trigger the type confusion during object manipulation, allowing attackers to bypass security restrictions and execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. The impact was particularly severe as Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise and consumer environments, making this vulnerability highly exploitable. The vulnerability enabled attackers to perform privilege escalation, execute malicious payloads, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would map to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and potentially T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The exploitation required no user interaction beyond viewing malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and drive-by download scenarios. Organizations using older versions of Flash Player and AIR runtime environments were at significant risk, as the vulnerability could be leveraged through web browsers, email attachments, or other delivery mechanisms that executed Flash content. The affected platforms included Windows and OS X operating systems where Flash Player was installed, as well as Linux systems running affected AIR versions. This vulnerability was part of a broader set of Flash Player security issues that affected the entire ecosystem, highlighting the need for comprehensive patch management and runtime security controls. The type confusion flaw specifically manifested when the Flash Player runtime attempted to process objects with mismatched or unexpected data types, leading to memory corruption and potential code execution. This particular vulnerability was distinct from other CVEs in the same year as it addressed a different memory management issue within the Flash Player's object handling mechanisms. The remediation required immediate patching of all affected versions, with Adobe releasing security updates specifically addressing this type confusion vulnerability. Organizations should have implemented network segmentation, web application firewalls, and content filtering to prevent exploitation while waiting for patches to be deployed. The vulnerability demonstrated the inherent risks of rich media runtime environments and the importance of proper memory management and type validation in software development practices. This issue underscored the critical need for regular security assessments and the implementation of security controls such as sandboxing, privilege separation, and automated patch management systems to protect against similar runtime vulnerabilities in other software platforms.