CVE-2016-1021 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE • 01/26/2023
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.343 and 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.213 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.616 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-1012, CVE-2016-1020, CVE-2016-1022, CVE-2016-1023, CVE-2016-1024, CVE-2016-1025, CVE-2016-1026, CVE-2016-1027, CVE-2016-1028, CVE-2016-1029, CVE-2016-1032, and CVE-2016-1033.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2023
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to specific patched releases contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability affected Windows and macOS systems running Flash Player versions before 18.0.0.343 and 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.213, as well as Linux systems before 11.2.202.616. The flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that differed from other contemporaneous vulnerabilities in the same vulnerability family. This memory corruption issue represented a fundamental failure in the player's memory management and input validation mechanisms, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through malformed Flash content. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed severe risks to enterprise environments where Flash Player remained enabled, as it could be exploited through web browsers or other applications that embedded the Flash runtime. Attackers could craft malicious SWF files or manipulate existing content to trigger the memory corruption, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack surface was particularly broad given Flash Player's widespread deployment across multiple operating systems and its integration with web browsers. Organizations running vulnerable versions faced significant risk of targeted attacks and zero-day exploitation, as the vulnerability could be leveraged to bypass security controls and execute malicious payloads. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and execution techniques, specifically targeting the use of malicious software to gain unauthorized access to systems. The memory corruption nature of the flaw meant that successful exploitation could result in persistent backdoor access, data exfiltration, or complete system takeover. Remediation required immediate patch deployment across all affected systems, along with network segmentation to limit exposure and browser configuration changes to disable Flash content execution. The vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing robust patch management processes to prevent exploitation of known memory corruption flaws in widely deployed applications. Organizations needed to conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions and implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect against potential exploitation attempts.