CVE-2017-2997 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2023
Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.221 and earlier have an exploitable buffer overflow / underflow vulnerability in the Primetime TVSDK that supports customizing ad information. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
Adobe Flash Player contains a critical buffer overflow vulnerability in its Primetime TVSDK component that affects versions 24.0.0.221 and earlier. This flaw resides in the handling of ad information customization features within the media playback framework, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered through malformed input data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking when processing custom ad metadata, allowing attackers to write beyond allocated memory buffers. This type of flaw typically falls under CWE-121, which encompasses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, though the specific implementation may involve heap-based memory corruption depending on how the TVSDK manages dynamic memory allocation. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise environments and end-user systems, making it an attractive target for adversaries seeking persistent access to networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as successful exploitation can provide attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Attackers can leverage this buffer overflow to inject malicious code into the Flash Player process, potentially escalating privileges or establishing persistence mechanisms within the victim environment. The Primetime TVSDK's ad customization feature creates a legitimate code path that can be manipulated to trigger the overflow condition, making the attack vector both plausible and effective. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can execute arbitrary code within the context of the Flash Player application. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specially formatted ad information that, when processed by the vulnerable TVSDK, causes memory corruption and subsequent code execution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Flash Player installations to version 25.0.0.126 or later, which contains the necessary memory safety improvements. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to block Flash content delivery where possible, as this reduces the attack surface for exploitation attempts. Security teams must conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict Flash Player execution to trusted environments, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious Flash-related network activity, and establishing incident response procedures specific to Flash-based exploit attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date multimedia frameworks and highlights the persistent risks associated with legacy Flash Player deployments in enterprise security architectures.