CVE-2017-2933 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.186 and earlier have an exploitable heap overflow vulnerability related to texture compression. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2025
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical heap overflow vulnerability in version 24.0.0.186 and earlier that stemmed from improper handling of texture compression operations within the multimedia framework. This vulnerability originated from a flaw in how the player processed compressed texture data during rendering operations, specifically when decompressing texture formats such as DXT1, DXT3, and DXT5. The heap overflow occurred when the application failed to properly validate the size of compressed texture data before allocating memory for decompression, allowing attackers to craft malicious SWF files that would trigger the vulnerability through crafted texture compression parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involved constructing a specially crafted SWF file containing malformed texture compression data that would cause the Flash Player to allocate insufficient memory for decompressed texture buffers. When the player attempted to decompress the oversized texture data into the allocated buffer, it would overwrite adjacent heap memory regions, potentially allowing an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which represents a fundamental memory safety issue where data written beyond the bounds of allocated heap memory can corrupt program execution flow.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2933 was severe given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise networks and user endpoints. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability through drive-by downloads from compromised websites or malicious email attachments, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that had not yet migrated away from Flash-based content. The vulnerability was classified as a remote code execution flaw that could be exploited without user interaction once a malicious SWF file was loaded, as demonstrated by various exploit kits that incorporated this vulnerability into their attack chains. This made it a prime target for nation-state actors and cybercriminal organizations seeking to establish persistent access to targeted systems.
Security researchers documented the vulnerability through multiple attack vectors that demonstrated how the heap overflow could be reliably triggered through various texture compression formats, with the most effective exploitation occurring when attackers could control the dimensions and compression parameters of embedded textures. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because Flash Player's architecture allowed for complex multimedia operations that could be manipulated through the SWF file format, providing attackers with multiple opportunities to craft effective exploits. Organizations implementing security controls such as Adobe's recommended patches and browser sandboxing measures were able to mitigate the risk, while the broader industry's shift away from Flash-based technologies helped reduce the attack surface for this and similar vulnerabilities. The incident highlighted the importance of proper memory management practices in multimedia frameworks and contributed to the eventual phase-out of Flash Player technology.