CVE-2019-7108 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player versions 32.0.0.156 and earlier, 32.0.0.156 and earlier, and 32.0.0.156 and earlier have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
Adobe Flash Player contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple versions including 32.0.0.156 and earlier releases across all supported platforms. This vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the player's handling of multimedia content, specifically when processing certain malformed or crafted flash files. The flaw occurs during the parsing of multimedia data structures where the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125 which categorizes out-of-bounds read conditions as a fundamental memory safety issue that can result in information disclosure or potentially more severe consequences depending on the execution context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious flash file that triggers the improper memory access when loaded by an affected Flash Player instance. When the vulnerable player processes such content, it reads data from memory locations that were not properly validated or constrained, potentially exposing sensitive information from adjacent memory regions. This could include cryptographic keys, user credentials, system memory contents, or other confidential data that might be stored in memory adjacent to the affected buffer. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the memory management level where the application's security boundaries are compromised, making it a prime target for information disclosure attacks that can be leveraged to extract sensitive data from running processes.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. The out-of-bounds read can be combined with other exploitation techniques to achieve arbitrary code execution, making it a critical threat vector for attackers seeking to compromise systems. The widespread adoption of Flash Player across enterprise environments and the prevalence of web-based attacks make this vulnerability particularly dangerous. The vulnerability's exploitation is relatively straightforward since it only requires a user to view a malicious flash file, making it an attractive target for phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for phishing, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute malicious code through web-based delivery methods.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the latest Flash Player versions that contain patches for this vulnerability. The patch addresses the underlying bounds checking issue by implementing proper validation of memory access operations and ensuring that all buffer operations remain within allocated boundaries. Additional mitigations include implementing strict content filtering policies that prevent execution of untrusted flash content, deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious flash content, and educating users about the risks of viewing untrusted web content. Network segmentation and privilege separation can also help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping multimedia plugins updated and maintaining robust security controls around web-based content execution. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates and reduce the window of exposure for known vulnerabilities.