CVE-2016-4282 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-2016-4275, CVE-2016-4276, CVE-2016-4280, CVE-2016-4281, CVE-2016-4283, CVE-2016-4284, CVE-2016-4285, CVE-2016-6922, and CVE-2016-6924.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks on systems running affected versions across multiple operating systems. This vulnerability existed in Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.375 for Windows and OS X, versions 19.x through 23.x before 23.0.0.162 for Windows and OS X, and versions before 11.2.202.635 for Linux. The flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that differed from several other related vulnerabilities documented in the same timeframe, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling issue within the Flash Player runtime environment. The vulnerability classified as a memory corruption issue represents a fundamental weakness in how the software managed memory allocation and deallocation processes, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate heap memory structures and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the Flash Player process.
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. These memory corruption flaws typically arise from inadequate bounds checking during array or buffer operations, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations or manipulate program execution flow. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service scenarios where system stability could be compromised through memory corruption. Attackers could leverage this weakness by crafting specially crafted Flash content that, when loaded by the vulnerable Flash Player, would trigger the memory corruption condition. The attack surface was particularly broad given Flash Player's widespread deployment across web browsers and operating systems, making this vulnerability highly attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit a large user base.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represented a significant risk to enterprise environments where Flash Player remained installed on systems despite its declining support status. The attack vectors typically involved malicious web pages or embedded Flash content that would automatically execute when users visited compromised websites. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, as attackers could potentially escalate privileges or establish persistent backdoors through the executed malicious code. Organizations running affected versions faced increased risk of data breaches, system infections, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Flash Player versions created a complex remediation challenge, requiring organizations to identify and update all affected installations across different operating systems and version branches. Security teams needed to implement immediate mitigations including browser plugin restrictions, network-based controls, and user education to reduce exposure while preparing for official patches.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability required comprehensive patch management strategies across all supported platforms. Organizations needed to prioritize updating Flash Player installations to versions 18.0.0.375 or later for Windows and OS X, and 23.0.0.162 or later for Windows and OS X, as well as 11.2.202.635 or later for Linux systems. Security controls should have included disabling Flash Player in web browsers where possible, implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious Flash content, and monitoring network traffic for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through web-based attacks, highlighted the importance of browser security configurations and user awareness training. Organizations should have also considered implementing sandboxing mechanisms and privilege separation to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurred, as the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to bypass traditional security controls and escalate system privileges.