CVE-2016-0986 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.333 and 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.182 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.577 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 21.0.0.176, Adobe AIR SDK before 21.0.0.176, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 21.0.0.176 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0960, CVE-2016-0961, CVE-2016-0962, CVE-2016-0989, CVE-2016-0992, CVE-2016-1002, and CVE-2016-1005.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2022
Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR products contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution and denial of service attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability affects multiple product versions across different operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. The flaw exists in the way these applications handle memory operations during processing of specially crafted content, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects widely deployed software components that are frequently used in web browsers and desktop applications, making exploitation relatively accessible to threat actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common memory corruption patterns that fall under CWE-125 and CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds read and write conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. These memory corruption issues typically arise from inadequate input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the Flash Player and AIR runtime environments. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflows and use-after-free conditions, where attackers can manipulate memory pointers and overwrite critical program structures. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple code paths within the software could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may be triggerable through various user interactions or content types.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to include potential system compromise and persistent threats. Attackers could leverage this flaw to install malware, steal sensitive information, or maintain persistent access to compromised systems. The widespread deployment of Adobe Flash Player across enterprise and consumer environments means that successful exploitation could affect thousands of devices simultaneously. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's presence in both runtime environments and development tools creates additional exposure points, as developers may inadvertently introduce the vulnerability into their applications through the SDK components.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR installations to the latest secure versions. System administrators should implement network segmentation and web filtering to restrict access to potentially malicious Flash content while maintaining visibility into user activities. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual memory access patterns and potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software inventory and implementing automated patch management processes. Organizations should also consider disabling Flash content in web browsers and transitioning to modern web standards that do not rely on deprecated technologies like Flash Player. This vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the risks associated with legacy software components and the necessity of maintaining comprehensive software lifecycle management practices. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for command and script interpreter, as exploitation typically involves executing malicious code through compromised software components.