CVE-2017-3086 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Shockwave versions 12.2.8.198 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 • 12/28/2020
Adobe Shockwave Player versions 12.2.8.198 and earlier contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that presents a significant security risk to users and organizations. This vulnerability falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflow as identified by CWE-122, where insufficient validation of user-supplied input leads to memory corruption during processing of Shockwave content. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly validate the size of data structures during parsing of Shockwave files, allowing attackers to craft malicious content that can overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specially designed Shockwave file that triggers the memory corruption when opened by an affected version of the player. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code. The memory corruption typically manifests as a heap overflow that can be leveraged to overwrite critical program structures, function pointers, or return addresses, ultimately allowing remote code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because Shockwave content was widely distributed through web browsers and desktop applications, making exploitation vectors numerous and accessible.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3086 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise. Organizations that continued to use vulnerable Shockwave versions faced potential data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive systems, and complete loss of system control. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to install backdoors, exfiltrate data, or establish persistent access through the compromised systems. The vulnerability's exploitation often requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious Shockwave content, making it particularly effective for phishing campaigns and drive-by downloads. Security teams were forced to implement emergency patches and network segmentation measures to protect their environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of all affected Shockwave Player installations, with the official update addressing the heap overflow through proper input validation and memory management. Organizations should have implemented network-based controls to block Shockwave content from untrusted sources, leveraging web application firewalls and content filtering solutions. The remediation process also necessitated comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable versions, as Shockwave was often installed as part of other Adobe products. Security teams needed to monitor for indicators of compromise and implement threat hunting procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day exploits.