CVE-2017-2986 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.194 and earlier have an exploitable heap overflow vulnerability in the Flash Video (FLV) codec. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
Adobe Flash Player contained a critical heap overflow vulnerability within its Flash Video FLV codec implementation that affected versions 24.0.0.194 and earlier. This vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking during the processing of maliciously crafted FLV video files, allowing attackers to manipulate heap memory allocation patterns. The flaw manifests when the player attempts to decode FLV streams that contain oversized or malformed data structures, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Attackers could leverage this weakness by delivering malicious FLV content through web browsers or other Flash Player-enabled applications, potentially compromising user systems and establishing persistent access. The heap overflow occurs during the decoding process where the application fails to validate input lengths against allocated buffer sizes, creating opportunities for memory corruption that bypasses modern exploit mitigations such as DEP and ASLR. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Flash Player remains enabled, as it enables remote code execution without user interaction in many scenarios. The exploitation typically involves crafting FLV files with specific malformed headers or data sequences that trigger the buffer overflow condition when processed by the vulnerable Flash Player component. Organizations should note that Adobe officially ended support for Flash Player in 2020, making this vulnerability a legacy concern for systems that still maintain Flash Player installations. The technical impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistence mechanisms. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability when assessing legacy system security postures and implementing decommissioning strategies for outdated Flash Player installations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping multimedia processing components updated and highlights the risks associated with supporting deprecated software technologies in enterprise environments. Mitigation strategies include immediate removal of Flash Player from systems, implementing network-level controls to block FLV content, and deploying endpoint protection solutions that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of how multimedia codecs can become attack vectors when insufficient input validation is implemented, emphasizing the need for rigorous security testing of media processing libraries and components.