CVE-2014-0586 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-2014-0577, CVE-2014-0584, CVE-2014-0585, 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 SDKs, contained a critical type confusion vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically manifested as an unspecified type confusion flaw within the Flash Player runtime environment, distinguishing it from other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2014-0577, CVE-2014-0584, CVE-2014-0585, and CVE-2014-0590, which were categorized under the same broader security advisory. The type confusion vulnerability stems from improper handling of data types during runtime execution, where the application incorrectly interprets the type of data being processed, leading to memory corruption and potential arbitrary code execution. This flaw was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited through malicious web content or files that would trigger the vulnerable Flash Player component when opened, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks. The vulnerability was classified under CWE-476 as a NULL Pointer Dereference, though the specific implementation involved type confusion that allowed attackers to manipulate object type information and bypass security checks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would map to T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage client-side applications to execute malicious code on target systems. The impact of this vulnerability extended across multiple platforms including Windows, OS X, and Linux, with different affected versions for each operating system, demonstrating the widespread nature of the issue within Adobe's runtime environment. Attackers could craft malicious SWF files or web content that, when loaded by an affected Flash Player version, would trigger the type confusion error and allow for full system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation required no user interaction beyond viewing the malicious content, making it particularly dangerous for web-based attacks. Organizations using affected versions of Flash Player or AIR runtime environments were at significant risk of being compromised through web-based attacks, as these applications were frequently used for multimedia content delivery across the internet. The security patch released with versions 13.0.0.252, 15.0.0.223, and 15.0.0.356 respectively addressed the type confusion issue by implementing proper type checking and validation mechanisms within the Flash Player runtime. This vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of keeping Flash Player and AIR runtime components updated, as the type confusion flaw could be leveraged to bypass modern security mitigations such as DEP, ASLR, and stack canaries. The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrated how client-side runtime environments could serve as attack vectors for sophisticated malware delivery, particularly in enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed for business applications and web content delivery. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability was particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional signature-based methods due to its reliance on memory corruption and type manipulation rather than simple code injection techniques, requiring more advanced behavioral analysis and sandboxing approaches for effective protection. The incident underscored the necessity of maintaining comprehensive patch management processes for client-side applications, as the widespread use of Flash Player across different platforms made it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access to affected systems.
The vulnerability was particularly concerning due to its potential for privilege escalation and the ability to bypass modern exploit mitigations. Security professionals recommended immediate patching of all affected systems and the implementation of network-based restrictions to prevent loading of Flash content from untrusted sources. The incident contributed to the broader industry recognition of the security risks associated with rich media runtime environments and influenced subsequent security recommendations for similar client-side applications. Organizations were advised to conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Flash Player deployments and implement additional security controls including browser sandboxing, content filtering, and user education regarding the risks of executing untrusted Flash content. The vulnerability's resolution demonstrated the importance of robust type validation mechanisms in runtime environments and influenced the development of more secure programming practices for similar applications. This vulnerability ultimately played a significant role in accelerating the industry's shift away from Flash Player towards HTML5 and other modern web technologies that offered better security characteristics and reduced attack surface areas.