CVE-2016-1000 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in 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 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0987, CVE-2016-0988, CVE-2016-0990, CVE-2016-0991, CVE-2016-0994, CVE-2016-0995, CVE-2016-0996, CVE-2016-0997, CVE-2016-0998, and CVE-2016-0999.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
This use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player represents a critical memory corruption flaw that enables remote code execution attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe Flash Player across Windows and macOS platforms, as well as various versions of Adobe AIR and AIR SDK across different operating systems. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to access memory that has already been freed, creating a condition where attackers can manipulate the program's execution flow. This specific vulnerability differs from several other related issues in the same year, indicating a distinct code path or implementation error within the Flash Player runtime environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Flash Player's object handling mechanisms. When Flash Player processes certain multimedia content or executes specific API calls, it may release memory associated with an object while still maintaining references to that memory location. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious SWF files or web content that triggers the vulnerable code path, causing the application to dereference freed memory and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This memory corruption pattern aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it provides attackers with persistent access to affected systems. Once successfully exploited, adversaries can execute malicious code with the same privileges as the Flash Player application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The widespread adoption of Flash Player across various platforms and applications makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it can be leveraged through web browsers, email attachments, or malicious websites. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile versions of Adobe AIR further amplifies its attack surface, as these applications often have elevated privileges and access to system resources.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as Adobe released security updates for all supported versions of Flash Player, AIR, and AIR SDK. The remediation process involves installing the latest versions of these applications, which contain memory management fixes that prevent the exploitation of this specific use-after-free condition. Additionally, implementing browser security measures such as disabling Flash Player plugins, using sandboxing techniques, and deploying web application firewalls can provide additional defense layers. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, as the attack patterns often involve specific payload delivery mechanisms that can be detected through network traffic analysis and endpoint monitoring. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper memory management practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution and T1078.004 for valid accounts to maintain persistent access after initial compromise.