CVE-2016-7866 in Animate
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Animate versions 15.2.1.95 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2024
Adobe Animate CVE-2016-7866 represents a critical memory corruption vulnerability that affects versions 15.2.1.95 and earlier of the popular multimedia authoring software. This vulnerability resides within the application's handling of malformed input data during the processing of specific file formats, creating a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw manifests when the software fails to properly validate memory allocations and buffer boundaries, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted files that trigger memory corruption during normal operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. When Adobe Animate processes maliciously constructed files, the application's memory management routines fail to properly validate input parameters, leading to unpredictable memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the memory level where attackers can manipulate program execution flow by overwriting critical memory segments including return addresses, function pointers, or other control structures.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2016-7866 enables attackers to achieve remote code execution with the privileges of the affected user. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can be weaponized through various attack vectors including malicious file attachments in email campaigns, compromised websites, or malicious software distribution channels. Security researchers have identified that attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems, making it a significant concern for organizations using Adobe Animate in their creative workflows. The vulnerability's exploitability is enhanced by the widespread adoption of Adobe Animate in creative industries, making it an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking to compromise creative teams and design studios.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Adobe Animate version 16.0.0 or later, which contains patches addressing the memory corruption flaw. System administrators should also deploy application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted files, implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement, and establish robust monitoring for suspicious file processing activities. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation would likely involve executing malicious payloads through the compromised application. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running vulnerable versions and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.