CVE-2016-1024 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-2016-1021, CVE-2016-1022, CVE-2016-1023, 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 18.0.0.343 on Windows and OS X and versions 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.213 on these platforms, along with versions before 11.2.202.616 on Linux, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability represented a distinct security flaw from other related issues in the same timeframe, specifically excluding CVE-2016-1012 through CVE-2016-1033, indicating a separate attack surface within the Flash Player runtime environment. The unspecified vectors through which attackers could exploit this vulnerability typically involved maliciously crafted SWF files or web content that when loaded by the vulnerable Flash Player would trigger memory corruption conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under memory corruption issues that are commonly classified as CWE-125, which represents "Out-of-bounds Read" and CWE-787, "Out-of-bounds Write," both of which are fundamental weaknesses in software that can lead to arbitrary code execution. When Flash Player processes malicious content, the memory corruption occurs during the parsing or rendering of multimedia elements, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical memory locations or manipulate program execution flow. The vulnerability exploited the way Flash Player handled certain data structures and memory management operations, creating opportunities for attackers to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the user's session.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risks to enterprise environments and individual users alike, as Flash Player was widely deployed across multiple operating systems and browsers. The attack vectors typically involved drive-by downloads through compromised websites or malicious email attachments that contained embedded Flash content. Once executed, the memory corruption could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user running Flash Player. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because Flash Player was often enabled by default in web browsers, making exploitation relatively easy for threat actors targeting large user bases. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player were vulnerable to persistent attacks that could result in data breaches, system infiltration, and lateral movement within networks.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability required immediate patching of all affected Flash Player installations across enterprise environments. Adobe released security updates addressing this issue, and system administrators needed to deploy these patches promptly to prevent exploitation. Additional mitigations included disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing browser security features such as sandboxing, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious Flash-related activity. Organizations should have also considered implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to prevent access to potentially malicious Flash content. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and demonstrated how legacy technologies like Flash Player could serve as persistent attack vectors in modern threat landscapes. This vulnerability was also relevant to the ATT&CK framework under techniques such as T1203 "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1059 "Command and Scripting Interpreter" where attackers could leverage Flash Player vulnerabilities to establish persistent access and execute malicious payloads on target systems.