CVE-2016-4221 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-2016-4181, 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-2016-4233, 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 • 10/04/2024
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 and before 11.2.202.632 on Linux contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that could be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat vector from numerous other related vulnerabilities within the same year, specifically excluding CVE-2016-4172 through CVE-2016-4246, which indicates the flaw operates through different exploitation mechanisms. The unspecified vectors of attack suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through various methods including malformed SWF files, embedded content in web pages, or manipulated multimedia elements within Flash applications. This memory corruption issue stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation processes within the Flash Player runtime environment, creating potential for heap-based buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that attackers could leverage to gain unauthorized system access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The attack surface extends across multiple operating systems including Windows and OS X platforms where Flash Player was commonly deployed, as well as Linux systems where the vulnerable versions were also present. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it allows for arbitrary code execution, meaning that an attacker could potentially install malware, steal sensitive data, or completely compromise the affected system. The memory corruption aspect suggests that the vulnerability could manifest through various attack vectors including web-based exploitation where users visit malicious websites or receive compromised email attachments containing Flash content. The denial of service component indicates that even if code execution cannot be achieved, attackers could still disrupt normal system operations by causing crashes or memory exhaustion conditions that would render the Flash Player functionality unusable.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on Flash Player for multimedia content delivery, web applications, or legacy system functionality. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across different platforms and the nature of the vulnerability make it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit user interactions with web content. Attackers could craft malicious web pages or email attachments that automatically trigger the vulnerability when users view them in browsers that have Flash Player installed. The exploitation process would likely involve social engineering tactics to诱导 users into visiting compromised websites or opening malicious documents containing embedded Flash content. Organizations using Flash Player in their environments would face potential data breaches, system compromise, and operational disruptions. The vulnerability's presence in both major version series and multiple platform implementations increases the attack surface significantly, making it difficult for security teams to implement comprehensive protection measures without complete removal of Flash Player functionality.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching and updating of Flash Player installations to versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement strict browser security policies that either disable Flash Player entirely or restrict its execution to trusted domains only. Network-based security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious Flash content before it reaches end-user systems. The remediation process requires careful testing of patched versions to ensure compatibility with existing applications and web content that relies on Flash functionality. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual memory usage patterns or unexpected crashes in Flash Player processes. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the risks associated with visiting untrusted websites and opening email attachments that may contain malicious Flash content. The vulnerability's classification under attack techniques such as those documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework indicates that it could be leveraged as part of broader attack chains involving initial access, execution, and privilege escalation phases. Organizations should also consider implementing zero-trust network architectures that limit Flash Player functionality to specific network segments and require additional authentication for access to sensitive systems. Given the nature of Flash Player as a deprecated technology, long-term security strategies should include plans for complete migration away from Flash-based content to modern web standards such as HTML5 and JavaScript to eliminate the attack surface entirely.