CVE-2016-1010
Adobe Flash Player and AIR Integer Overflow Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2016-1010 is an integer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability occurs when Flash Player processes specially crafted content that triggers an integer overflow condition, leading to memory corruption and ultimately code execution. This Adobe Flash Player vulnerability affects both the standalone player and the AIR runtime environment. CISA has listed CVE-2016-1010 in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation, and its EPSS percentile of 96.6% indicates a very high probability of exploitation activity. The impacted products are end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| adobe | flash player | <= 20.0.0.306; <= 11.2.202.569 |
| adobe | air | <= 20.0.0.233 |
| adobe | air sdk | <= 20.0.0.260 |
| samsung | x14j firmware | t-ms14jakucb-1102.5 |
| adobe | flash player desktop runtime | <= 20.2.2.306 |
| adobe | air desktop runtime | <= 20.0.0.260 |
| adobe | air sdk \& compiler | <= 20.0.0.260 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00022.html(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00023.html(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00024.html(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00032.html(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84308(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035251(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb16-08.html(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201603-07(Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-1010(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
No specific CWE has been assigned to CVE-2016-1010 in the NVD database. The vulnerability is an integer overflow in Adobe Flash Player and AIR. Integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the maximum capacity of the integer type used to store it, causing the value to wrap around. In Flash Player, this wraparound leads to an undersized memory allocation, and when subsequent operations write data into this too-small buffer, heap corruption occurs, enabling arbitrary code execution.
Learn more: CWE Overview
Impact Analysis
CVE-2016-1010 enables remote code execution through an integer overflow in Adobe Flash Player and AIR. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable through specially crafted Flash content embedded in web pages, requiring only that a user visits a malicious or compromised website with Flash enabled. Confidentiality (High): Successful exploitation gives the attacker full access to data accessible by the browser process, including session cookies, cached credentials, and local files accessible to the user. Integrity (High): Code execution allows the attacker to install persistent malware, modify system files, and establish backdoor access. Availability (High): The compromised system can be enrolled in botnets, used for cryptomining, or rendered inoperable through destructive payloads. With an EPSS percentile of 96.6%, this vulnerability has a very high likelihood of active exploitation, particularly concerning because Flash Player has reached end of life and no longer receives security updates.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2016-1010 by listing it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The CISA-required action specifies that the impacted products are end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use, with a remediation deadline of June 15, 2022. The EPSS percentile of 96.6% indicates a very high likelihood of exploitation activity. Flash Player integer overflow vulnerabilities have historically been popular in exploit kits used for drive-by download attacks, and the end-of-life status of Flash Player means no further patches will be issued, leaving any remaining installations permanently vulnerable.
Remediation
- Remove Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR entirely from all systems. As stated in the CISA KEV required action, the impacted products are end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use. Adobe ended Flash Player support on December 31, 2020, and no further security patches will be released.
- Ensure Flash Player browser plugins are disabled and removed across all browsers in the organization. Modern browsers have removed Flash support entirely, but legacy browser installations may still have the plugin enabled.
- Migrate Flash-dependent applications and content to modern web technologies (HTML5, WebAssembly, JavaScript). Identify and replace any internal applications, training modules, or web content that still require Flash Player.
- Block Flash content at the network perimeter using web proxies and content filtering to prevent .swf files from being downloaded and executed, even on systems where Flash has not yet been removed.
- Audit systems for remaining Flash installations using endpoint management tools to identify and remove any Flash Player or AIR installations across the organization.
Technical Details
CVE-2016-1010 is an integer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR. The flaw occurs during the processing of specially crafted Flash (SWF) content where an arithmetic operation on size or length values overflows the integer type used to store the result. This overflow causes a smaller-than-expected memory buffer to be allocated on the heap. When subsequent operations write data into this undersized buffer, heap memory beyond the allocated boundary is corrupted. The attacker can carefully control the overflow and the subsequent write operations to overwrite adjacent heap metadata or objects, ultimately gaining control of program execution flow. Flash Player's complex runtime environment, which includes a just-in-time (JIT) compiler and garbage collector, provides numerous objects and function pointers that can be targeted through heap manipulation to achieve reliable code execution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2016-1010 being actively exploited?
Yes, CVE-2016-1010 is actively exploited. CISA confirmed its inclusion in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and noted that the impacted products are end-of-life. The EPSS percentile of 96.6% indicates a very high probability of exploitation activity. No further patches will be released since Flash Player was discontinued.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-1010?
CVE-2016-1010 affects Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR. Both products have reached end-of-life status, with Adobe ending Flash Player support on December 31, 2020. Any remaining installations are permanently vulnerable to this and other unpatched security flaws.
How do I fix CVE-2016-1010?
The only effective remediation is to completely remove Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR from all systems. Since the products are end-of-life, no patches are available. Remove the Flash browser plugin, migrate any Flash-dependent content to modern web technologies, and block Flash content at the network perimeter.
How severe is CVE-2016-1010?
CVE-2016-1010 is a remote code execution vulnerability with an EPSS percentile of 96.6%, indicating very high exploitation probability. The severity is compounded by the end-of-life status of Flash Player, meaning no patches are available. Any system still running Flash Player remains permanently vulnerable to this exploit.
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