CVE-2016-4285 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-2016-4282, CVE-2016-4283, CVE-2016-4284, CVE-2016-6922, and CVE-2016-6924.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.375 on Windows and OS X and before 23.0.0.162 on versions 19.x through 23.x as well as before 11.2.202.635 on Linux contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability represents a distinct flaw from several other related issues identified in the same timeframe, specifically excluding CVE-2016-4274 through CVE-2016-4284, CVE-2016-6922, and CVE-2016-6924. The flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors to either execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems or induce denial of service conditions through memory corruption techniques.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues, which typically arise from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation operations within software applications. Such flaws often occur when applications fail to properly validate input data or when they perform operations on memory locations that have already been freed or are otherwise invalid. This particular vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player likely involved buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or similar memory management errors that could be triggered through crafted malicious content delivered via web browsers or other Flash-enabled applications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presented significant security risks to organizations and individual users who had outdated Flash Player installations. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely meant that attackers could potentially gain full control of affected systems, install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The widespread deployment of Flash Player across various platforms made this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could be exploited against users regardless of their operating system. The denial of service component added additional risk by allowing attackers to disrupt legitimate services and potentially cause system instability.
Organizations should have immediately prioritized patching all affected Flash Player installations to mitigate this vulnerability. The remediation process required updating to the patched versions specified in the advisory, which included Adobe Flash Player 18.0.0.375 for Windows and OS X, and 23.0.0.162 for the affected 19.x through 23.x versions, along with the Linux-specific version 11.2.202.635. Security teams should have implemented comprehensive vulnerability scanning to identify all affected systems and deployed automated patch management solutions to ensure rapid remediation. Additionally, organizations should have considered implementing network segmentation and content filtering measures to reduce exposure while patches were being deployed.
This vulnerability aligns with several cybersecurity frameworks and threat modeling approaches, including the Common Weakness Enumeration standard which categorizes memory corruption issues under CWE-122 and related weakness categories. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability would map to MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation through remote code execution and system compromise. Organizations should have also considered the broader context of the Flash Player vulnerability landscape during 2016, as this period saw numerous similar issues that collectively demonstrated the inherent security risks associated with rich media plugins and their complex codebases. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue also highlights the importance of memory safety practices and the need for robust input validation in application development.