CVE-2016-4275 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.375 and 19.x through 23.x before 23.0.0.162 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.635 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4274, CVE-2016-4276, CVE-2016-4280, CVE-2016-4281, CVE-2016-4282, CVE-2016-4283, CVE-2016-4284, CVE-2016-4285, CVE-2016-6922, and CVE-2016-6924.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.375 on Windows and OS X, and versions 19.x through 23.x before 23.0.0.162 on the same platforms, as well as versions before 11.2.202.635 on Linux, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat vector from several other related CVEs including CVE-2016-4274 through CVE-2016-6924, indicating that attackers could leverage different exploit techniques to compromise systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions. The memory corruption flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that allowed adversaries to manipulate memory structures in ways that could lead to privilege escalation or system instability. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of memory corruption issues, specifically targeting improper access to memory locations that could be manipulated through crafted input or malicious content delivered via web browsers. The attack surface was particularly concerning as Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise environments and consumer systems, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to target networks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving exploitation of software vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, potentially enabling adversaries to establish footholds within target environments. The impact extended beyond simple denial of service scenarios as the memory corruption could be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which typically ran with elevated permissions when interacting with web content. Organizations running affected versions faced significant risk of compromise as the vulnerability could be triggered through standard web browsing activities, making it difficult to defend against through traditional network monitoring approaches. The vulnerability's exploitation required minimal user interaction, as simply visiting a malicious website containing crafted Flash content could trigger the memory corruption. This characteristic made the vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites that could be used to deliver malware payloads. The affected versions spanned multiple major releases, indicating that the memory corruption flaw was present across several generations of the Flash Player codebase, suggesting either a fundamental design issue or a persistent coding error that was not properly addressed during development cycles. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability's exploitation could potentially bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention, which are standard operating system protections against code injection attacks. The lack of specific vector details in the CVE description indicates that multiple attack paths could be used to trigger the memory corruption, making it difficult for organizations to implement precise defensive measures. Remediation required immediate patching of Flash Player installations across all affected platforms, as the vulnerability was not limited to specific operating systems or deployment scenarios. Organizations needed to ensure comprehensive patch management procedures were in place to address this and similar vulnerabilities, as the widespread use of Flash Player made it a prime target for cyber attacks. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue aligns with industry standards for identifying critical security flaws that can lead to complete system compromise when successfully exploited. This particular vulnerability underscored the importance of maintaining up-to-date software deployments and implementing layered security controls to protect against known exploits in widely deployed software components. The patch releases addressing this vulnerability were critical for maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access to affected systems. The complexity of Flash Player's architecture and its integration with web browsers made this vulnerability particularly challenging to secure, as it required updates to both the Flash runtime and browser components to achieve complete protection. Organizations needed to conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple version lines highlighted the need for more robust software quality assurance processes and better vulnerability management practices within software development organizations. Security teams had to implement monitoring procedures to detect exploitation attempts and ensure that patch deployment was completed across all affected systems in a timely manner. The incident served as a reminder of the risks associated with running legacy software components and the importance of transitioning away from deprecated technologies like Flash Player.