CVE-2015-6680 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Shockwave Player before 12.2.0.162 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-6681.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2022
Adobe Shockwave Player version 12.2.0.162 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct issue from CVE-2015-6681, indicating separate code paths or implementation flaws within the Shockwave Player runtime environment. The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling mechanisms within the player's processing of Shockwave content, specifically affecting how the software manages memory allocation and deallocation during content rendering. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious Shockwave files or web content that triggers the vulnerable memory operations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the victim's user account. The memory corruption aspect suggests that the vulnerability may involve buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management flaws that could be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions or CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write conditions, representing common entry points for privilege escalation attacks. The impact of exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious code on targeted systems, potentially leading to full system compromise or persistent backdoor installation. Organizations should note that this vulnerability affects users running older versions of Shockwave Player, with the patch released in version 12.2.0.162 addressing the underlying memory management issues. The attack surface extends beyond traditional web browsing to include any environment where Shockwave content is executed, including email attachments, web portals, or local file systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems. The remediation strategy involves immediate deployment of Adobe's security patch, along with network segmentation and content filtering to prevent execution of untrusted Shockwave content. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling Shockwave Player entirely if the functionality is not required, as the vulnerability landscape for multimedia plugins continues to present significant risks. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, particularly unusual memory access patterns or unexpected code execution on systems running vulnerable versions of Shockwave Player. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges associated with legacy multimedia plugins and their continued exposure to modern exploitation techniques despite the availability of security patches.