CVE-2016-0965 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE • 01/26/2023
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.329 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.569 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 20.0.0.260, Adobe AIR SDK before 20.0.0.260, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 20.0.0.260 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0964, CVE-2016-0966, CVE-2016-0967, CVE-2016-0968, CVE-2016-0969, CVE-2016-0970, CVE-2016-0972, CVE-2016-0976, CVE-2016-0977, CVE-2016-0978, CVE-2016-0979, CVE-2016-0980, and CVE-2016-0981.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR suffered from a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service conditions across multiple platform versions. This vulnerability existed in Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.329 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X platforms, while Linux versions were affected before 11.2.202.569. The issue also impacted Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.260 and related SDK components. The vulnerability stemmed from improper memory handling mechanisms within the Flash Player runtime environment, creating conditions where attacker-controlled input could corrupt memory structures and potentially lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw was distinct from several other vulnerabilities in the same CVE series, indicating a unique code path that required specific exploitation techniques. This type of memory corruption vulnerability typically falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The attack surface was particularly concerning as Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise environments and consumer systems, making the vulnerability exploitable through various attack vectors including malicious web content, email attachments, or compromised websites. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple denial of service to full system compromise, as demonstrated by similar flaws in the Flash Player ecosystem that had been previously exploited in the wild. Security researchers noted that the memory corruption could be triggered through malformed SWF files or malicious web content that would cause the Flash Player to improperly handle memory allocation and deallocation. The vulnerability's exploitation required sophisticated techniques to achieve reliable code execution, but the widespread deployment of Flash Player meant that many systems remained at risk. Organizations needed to implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability, as the attack vectors were well-established in threat actor toolkits. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player was commonly enabled in browsers and applications, creating persistent exposure windows. This particular flaw demonstrated how memory corruption vulnerabilities in runtime environments could be leveraged for complete system compromise, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date runtime environments and implementing security controls such as sandboxing and application whitelisting to mitigate risks associated with legacy Flash Player installations. Organizations should have prioritized patching this vulnerability as it represented a significant threat to their security posture, particularly given the prevalence of Flash Player across both consumer and enterprise systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability was characterized by improper memory management within Adobe's Flash Player implementation, which allowed attackers to manipulate memory structures through carefully crafted input. This memory corruption could be achieved through various means including malformed multimedia content, malicious web pages, or specially crafted files that would trigger the vulnerable code path. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it could be exploited without user interaction in many cases, making it suitable for drive-by download attacks. The specific memory corruption patterns indicated that the issue was likely related to improper bounds checking or use-after-free conditions within the Flash Player's ActionScript runtime. Security researchers who analyzed the vulnerability noted that it required exploiting multiple layers of memory management within the Flash Player architecture, suggesting that the flaw was in the core runtime handling mechanisms rather than in specific API implementations. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue placed it within the scope of common exploit mitigation techniques such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention. However, the widespread use of Flash Player across different operating systems and architectures meant that exploitation was possible across multiple platforms, increasing the overall attack surface. The vulnerability's impact was further amplified by the fact that many organizations had legacy systems running older versions of Flash Player that were not regularly updated, creating persistent exposure windows. The vulnerability's relationship to other CVEs in the same series indicated that Adobe was dealing with multiple memory corruption issues within their Flash Player implementation, suggesting systemic problems in the codebase's memory handling mechanisms. This vulnerability served as a critical reminder of the risks associated with legacy software components and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all system components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patch deployment across all affected systems, as well as comprehensive security assessments to identify potentially compromised systems. Organizations should have implemented network segmentation and application control policies to prevent Flash Player execution on systems where it was not required. The vulnerability's exploitation potential necessitated immediate action from security teams to assess their exposure and implement appropriate controls. Security teams needed to focus on identifying all systems running vulnerable versions of Flash Player and Adobe AIR, including mobile platforms and embedded systems that might have been overlooked in traditional patch management processes. The vulnerability highlighted the need for comprehensive endpoint protection that could detect and prevent exploitation attempts, including behavioral monitoring and signature-based detection mechanisms. Organizations should have prioritized the removal or disabling of Flash Player where it was not essential for business operations, as the risk of exploitation was high given the widespread deployment of vulnerable versions. The vulnerability's nature as a memory corruption issue meant that traditional antivirus solutions might not be effective, requiring more sophisticated security controls such as exploit prevention systems and runtime application control. Security teams needed to implement monitoring procedures to detect exploitation attempts, including network traffic analysis for malicious SWF file delivery and endpoint monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns. The vulnerability underscored the importance of maintaining software inventories and implementing automated patch management processes to ensure that all systems remained protected against known vulnerabilities. Organizations should have established incident response procedures specifically for Flash Player-related vulnerabilities, given the potential for widespread exploitation and the complexity of identifying affected systems. The vulnerability's impact was particularly significant in environments where Flash Player was enabled by default in browsers, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns that were common in the threat landscape of 2016. The remediation process required careful coordination between security teams, system administrators, and application owners to ensure that patching did not disrupt critical business applications that might depend on Flash Player functionality.