CVE-2019-7103 in Shockwave Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Shockwave Player versions 12.3.4.204 and earlier have a memory corruption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
Adobe Shockwave Player version 12.3.4.204 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability that represents a critical security risk for affected systems. This vulnerability falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflows as identified by CWE-122, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory regions. The flaw occurs when the player processes specially crafted multimedia content, specifically within the handling of certain data structures that control the playback of Shockwave files. When an attacker crafts malicious content that triggers this memory corruption, the application's memory management becomes compromised, potentially allowing for arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to convince a user to open a specially crafted Shockwave file that contains malformed data structures. The memory corruption typically manifests when the player attempts to parse and render content that exceeds expected buffer sizes, causing memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the victim's system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because Shockwave Player was widely distributed and often automatically installed with other software, increasing the attack surface significantly.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-7103 extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable full system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install malware, establish persistence mechanisms, or escalate privileges within the victim environment. The memory corruption aspect makes detection difficult as it may not always result in immediate crashes, allowing for stealthy exploitation. Organizations running affected versions of Shockwave Player face significant risk since the player was commonly used in enterprise environments and educational institutions. The vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks of legacy multimedia players that continue to receive updates, as they often maintain outdated codebases that are difficult to secure against modern attack techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to remediate the affected systems. The primary recommendation is to upgrade to Adobe Shockwave Player version 12.6.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory corruption issue. Organizations should also implement network-based controls such as disabling Shockwave content through web browsers and content filtering systems. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted Shockwave content. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify any remaining installations of the vulnerable software, as the extended support period for Shockwave Player has ended, leaving systems increasingly vulnerable to exploitation attempts.