CVE-2024-22912 in SWFTools
Summary
by MITRE • 01/19/2024
A global-buffer-overflow was found in SWFTools v0.9.2, in the function countline at swf5compiler.flex:327. It allows an attacker to cause code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-22912 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within SWFTools version 0.9.2, specifically within the countline function located in the swf5compiler.flex file at line 327. This flaw constitutes a serious security weakness that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking in the memory allocation process, where the application fails to properly validate input data length before processing it through the flex lexical analyzer component. Such buffer overflow conditions are particularly dangerous because they can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of string data during the compilation process of Shockwave Flash files. When SWFTools processes malformed input through the countline function, the application allocates a fixed-size buffer that cannot accommodate the excessive input data. This results in memory corruption that can be manipulated by an attacker to redirect program execution flow. The flaw is classified as a CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow, which falls under the broader category of memory safety vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a code injection technique, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through buffer overflow exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations that rely on SWFTools for processing Flash content or converting multimedia files. Attackers could craft malicious SWF files or other input data that triggers the buffer overflow condition when processed by the vulnerable tool. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected process. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where SWFTools is used for automated processing of user-uploaded content or in server-side applications that handle untrusted input.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-22912 should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of vendor patches or updates to SWFTools version 0.9.3 or later. Organizations should implement input validation measures to restrict the size and format of data processed by the tool, particularly when handling untrusted content. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of address space layout randomization and stack canaries can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though these are secondary protections that do not address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations should also consider migrating away from SWFTools if possible, given the age of the software and the potential for additional undiscovered vulnerabilities.