CVE-2016-4240 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-2016-4221, CVE-2016-4233, CVE-2016-4234, CVE-2016-4235, CVE-2016-4236, CVE-2016-4237, CVE-2016-4238, CVE-2016-4239, 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, 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 attacks. This vulnerability represented a distinct threat vector from numerous other CVEs affecting the same software ecosystem, highlighting the complex nature of Flash Player security flaws. The unspecified attack vectors within this vulnerability allowed malicious actors to manipulate memory structures in ways that could lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where Flash Player remained widely deployed.
The technical flaw manifested through memory corruption issues that occurred during Flash Player's processing of specific content or data structures. Attackers could craft malicious Flash content or exploit existing content to trigger buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that would allow them to execute code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. These memory corruption vulnerabilities typically arise from insufficient input validation and improper memory handling within the multimedia framework, creating opportunities for attackers to overwrite critical memory locations or manipulate program flow. The vulnerability's classification aligns with common CWE categories including CWE-119 for memory corruption and CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write conditions, which are fundamental weaknesses in software security that directly translate to remote code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial across enterprise and individual user environments where Flash Player remained active. Organizations with legacy systems that continued to rely on Flash for web applications, multimedia presentations, or internal tools faced significant risk exposure. The vulnerability could be exploited through web browsers when users visited compromised websites or opened malicious Flash content, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or targeted attacks. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within affected systems. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across various operating systems and platforms meant that this vulnerability affected a broad attack surface, with different versions requiring specific patching strategies across Windows, macOS, and Linux environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4240 required immediate patching of affected Flash Player installations to the recommended versions that contained memory corruption fixes. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all systems running Flash Player received updates promptly. Network administrators could deploy web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block potentially malicious Flash content, while security teams should have monitored for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis. The vulnerability's nature made it particularly susceptible to zero-day exploitation, emphasizing the importance of proactive security measures including browser sandboxing, privilege separation, and regular security assessments. Additionally, organizations should have considered phasing out Flash Player usage in favor of modern web standards such as HTML5, which eliminated the attack surface associated with the Flash plugin. This vulnerability reinforced the broader security community's understanding of how legacy software components could remain significant attack vectors even after their initial release cycles, aligning with ATT&CK techniques focused on exploit development and privilege escalation through software vulnerabilities.