CVE-2016-7892 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player versions 23.0.0.207 and earlier, 11.2.202.644 and earlier have an exploitable use after free vulnerability in the TextField class. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2025
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical use after free vulnerability in its TextField class implementation that affected versions up to 23.0.0.207 and 11.2.202.644. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of use after free conditions, where memory that has been freed is accessed again by the application. The flaw occurred when the TextField class handled certain object references, particularly during the destruction of text elements that were being manipulated through ActionScript code. When malicious Flash content attempted to trigger specific sequences involving text field manipulation and memory cleanup, the application would attempt to access memory that had already been deallocated, creating a predictable exploitation vector for remote code execution.
The exploitation of this vulnerability required an attacker to craft malicious Flash content that would trigger the specific sequence leading to the use after free condition. The attack typically involved manipulating TextField objects in ways that would cause the Flash Player to free memory associated with text rendering structures while simultaneously attempting to access those same structures. This particular vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through web browsers that had Flash Player installed, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks. The exploit would typically require a user to visit a malicious website hosting the crafted Flash content, which would then execute arbitrary code on the victim's system with the privileges of the Flash Player process.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7892 was severe and far-reaching across enterprise environments that still relied on Flash Player for various web applications and content delivery. Organizations running older versions of Flash Player were particularly vulnerable as they could not receive security updates from Adobe, which had stopped supporting Flash Player for most platforms by 2017. The vulnerability was classified as a high-risk issue by security vendors and was often grouped with other memory corruption vulnerabilities in ATT&CK framework under the technique of code injection. The attack surface was broad since Flash Player was widely used for web applications, multimedia content, and enterprise software, making the exploitation potential significant for threat actors targeting corporate networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate action from organizations to remove or disable Flash Player from all systems, as Adobe had ceased providing security updates for affected versions. Security teams needed to implement browser restrictions and content filtering to prevent Flash content from executing in web browsers, while also monitoring for any attempts to load Flash content from internal networks. The remediation process involved comprehensive inventory tracking of all Flash Player installations, followed by complete removal of the software from systems and disabling of Flash plugin support in web browsers. Organizations should have also implemented network-level controls to block Flash content delivery and utilized endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and the risks associated with legacy technologies that receive no security support, emphasizing the need for comprehensive software lifecycle management practices.