CVE-2016-0975 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2023
Use-after-free vulnerability in the instanceof function in 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 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging improper reference handling, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0973, CVE-2016-0974, CVE-2016-0982, CVE-2016-0983, and CVE-2016-0984.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2023
The CVE-2016-0975 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Adobe Flash Player's instanceof function implementation across multiple platform versions. This vulnerability specifically targets the improper handling of object references during runtime execution, creating a scenario where freed memory locations can be accessed and manipulated by malicious actors. The issue affects Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.329 for Windows and OS X platforms, and versions prior to 20.0.0.306 for 19.x and 20.x versions on the same operating systems, while also impacting Linux systems with versions before 11.2.202.569. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to Adobe AIR environments, affecting versions before 20.0.0.260 across multiple development and runtime components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from the improper memory management within Flash Player's instanceof operator implementation, which is a fundamental operation used to determine object types and inheritance relationships. When an instanceof operation occurs on a freed object reference, the underlying memory may still contain valid data or may be reallocated for other purposes, creating a use-after-free condition. This memory corruption scenario enables attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the application by controlling what data is accessed from the freed memory location, potentially allowing for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability operates at the core runtime level of Flash Player, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal scripting operations without requiring special privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0975 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise, as the vulnerability allows attackers to leverage the use-after-free condition to gain unauthorized control over affected systems. The attack surface is extensive given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access or execute malicious payloads. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-416 indicates it falls within the category of use-after-free conditions, which are well-documented in the CWE database as high-risk memory safety issues that frequently lead to remote code execution. This vulnerability operates within the ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation domains, enabling adversaries to move laterally through affected networks by exploiting the persistent nature of Flash Player installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0975 require immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR installations across all supported platforms, with particular emphasis on Windows and OS X environments where the vulnerability is most prevalent. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems are updated promptly, as the vulnerability can be exploited through web-based attacks that do not require user interaction or special privileges. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional defense layers, while monitoring for suspicious Flash Player activity and unusual network connections can help detect exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing browser sandboxing solutions and disabling Flash Player entirely where possible, as the vulnerability landscape for Flash Player has been increasingly problematic. The remediation process must account for the wide variety of affected versions and ensure that all Adobe AIR SDK and compiler components are updated to prevent exploitation through development environments that may be used to create malicious Flash content.