CVE-2016-4181 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2023
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.366 and 19.x through 22.x before 22.0.0.209 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.632 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4172, CVE-2016-4175, CVE-2016-4179, CVE-2016-4180, CVE-2016-4182, CVE-2016-4183, CVE-2016-4184, CVE-2016-4185, CVE-2016-4186, CVE-2016-4187, CVE-2016-4188, CVE-2016-4189, CVE-2016-4190, CVE-2016-4217, CVE-2016-4218, CVE-2016-4219, CVE-2016-4220, CVE-2016-4221, CVE-2016-4233, CVE-2016-4234, CVE-2016-4235, CVE-2016-4236, CVE-2016-4237, CVE-2016-4238, CVE-2016-4239, CVE-2016-4240, CVE-2016-4241, CVE-2016-4242, CVE-2016-4243, CVE-2016-4244, CVE-2016-4245, and CVE-2016-4246.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2023
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.366 and 19.x through 22.x before 22.0.0.209 on Windows and OS X platforms, along with versions before 11.2.202.632 on Linux systems, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service conditions. This vulnerability represented a distinct threat vector from numerous other related vulnerabilities within the same timeframe, specifically excluding CVE-2016-4172 through CVE-2016-4246. The flaw manifested in the way Flash Player handled memory operations during processing of malformed or specially crafted content, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through unspecified attack vectors that remained undisclosed in the initial vulnerability report.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common memory corruption patterns typically classified under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. These memory corruption flaws often arise from inadequate bounds checking during buffer operations, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious payloads. The vulnerability's exploitation potential stemmed from Flash Player's extensive use of memory management functions and its integration with web browsers, creating multiple attack surfaces where malicious content could be delivered through web pages, embedded objects, or specially crafted files. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extended beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allowed attackers to execute malicious code on targeted systems, potentially enabling them to install malware, establish persistence mechanisms, or conduct further reconnaissance activities. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across various operating systems and platforms amplified the potential attack surface, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player was commonly used for multimedia content delivery. Organizations running affected versions faced significant risk of exploitation through drive-by download attacks, where simply visiting a compromised website could trigger the vulnerability without user interaction.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of affected Flash Player installations across all supported platforms. System administrators should have prioritized deployment of Adobe's security updates, which included memory corruption fixes and enhanced bounds checking mechanisms. Additional protective measures included browser security configurations that restricted Flash Player functionality, implementation of content filtering systems, and network-based controls to prevent access to known malicious domains. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that reduce reliance on single security controls. Organizations should have considered disabling Flash Player entirely where possible, as the vulnerability landscape for Flash Player had become increasingly complex with multiple overlapping vulnerabilities. This particular vulnerability demonstrated the persistent security challenges associated with legacy multimedia frameworks and underscored the critical need for organizations to transition away from deprecated technologies that continue to present security risks. The incident contributed to the broader industry movement away from Flash Player and toward more secure web standards, as evidenced by the eventual deprecation of Flash Player by Adobe in 2020.