CVE-2016-0984 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability affecting Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting the affected software versions. The severity of this vulnerability is classified as high, with a CVSS score of 8.8, indicating a critical risk to organizations that utilize these products.
The vulnerability is present in Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.329 and versions 19.x and 20.x prior to 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X, as well as earlier versions on Linux. Furthermore, Adobe AIR and its SDKs are also affected prior to version 20.0.0.260. Given the extensive use of these products, the risk to organizations includes potential data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
As of now, this vulnerability is actively exploited, with known exploits identified in the wild. Organizations are urged to take immediate action to address this issue, as the potential impact could lead to significant operational disruptions and data loss.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to prevent any exploitation of this vulnerability. This is crucial in maintaining the integrity and security of their systems.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors. It is classified under CWE-416 (Use After Free). The vulnerability affects various components, including Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR SDK, with the official advisory stating that it is different from other known vulnerabilities such as CVE-2016-0973 through CVE-2016-0983.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability stands at 8.8, indicating a high severity level that necessitates prompt remediation. The disclosure date for this vulnerability was on February 10, 2016.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory management, leading to use-after-free conditions that attackers can exploit. The attack vector is network-based, requiring low attack complexity, and no special privileges are required for exploitation. User interaction is necessary, as the attack relies on user engagement with malicious content.
The potential impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all rated high, making this a critical vulnerability that organizations must address immediately.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Real-world deployment of Adobe Flash Player and AIR in various environments increases the risk associated with CVE-2016-0984. Given that the affected products are widely used, the potential blast radius for organizations is significant, making this vulnerability critical.
The urgency for remediation is underscored by the CVSS score of 8.8, indicating that organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate risks of exploitation. Additionally, there is a known exploitation timeline with this vulnerability included in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as of May 25, 2022.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | Yes |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
Affected versions include Adobe Flash Player prior to 18.0.0.329, all 19.x and 20.x versions prior to 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X, and Adobe AIR versions prior to 20.0.0.260. For Linux, the affected version is prior to 11.2.202.569.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should implement the following remediation strategies to address this vulnerability:
1. Upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR.
2. If upgrade is not possible, consider disconnecting the impacted products from the network until patches are applied.
3. Implement access controls to restrict the use of Adobe products in sensitive environments.
Continuous penetration testing should be conducted to validate the effectiveness of the implemented mitigations.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for unusual behavior associated with Adobe Flash Player and AIR, including:
1. Unexpected application crashes.
2. High network traffic patterns when executing Flash content.
3. Anomalies in user activity that may suggest exploitation attempts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The significance of CVE-2016-0984 lies in its representation of vulnerabilities that arise from improper memory management practices in widely used software. This instance highlights the critical need for organizations to maintain an updated inventory of software and ensure timely patching.
Security teams should learn from this vulnerability to implement more robust security measures, including regular code audits and adopting secure coding practices during development.
Organizations can benefit from further insights through resources such as the penetration testing methodology, the vulnerability management program design, and API security best practices to enhance their security posture.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
.webp)