CVE-2008-4473

Vulnerability

Heap-based buffer overflows exist in Adobe Flash CS3 Professional on Windows and Flash MX 2004 when processing SWF files containing long control parameters [1]. The vulnerability is triggered during parsing of the SWF file. Affected versions include Flash CS3 Professional (Windows) and Flash MX 2004. Flash Player, Flash CS4 Professional, and the Mac version of Flash CS3 Professional are not affected [1].

Exploitation

An attacker must convince a user to open a malicious SWF file [1]. No additional authentication or network position is required; the user must simply open the file using an affected application. The attacker crafts an SWF file with overly long control parameters to trigger the heap overflow.

Impact

Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution on the victim's machine with the privileges of the user running the affected application [1]. The attacker gains full control over the system within the user's security context.

Mitigation

No official patch has been released by Adobe as of the advisory date (October 15, 2008) [1]. Adobe recommends that developers exercise caution when receiving unsolicited or suspicious SWF files [1]. Users should avoid opening SWF files from untrusted sources. Upgrading to Flash CS4 Professional or using the Mac version of Flash CS3 Professional eliminates the risk, as those versions are not affected [1].