CVE-2019-7102
📋 TL;DR
Adobe Shockwave Player versions 12.3.4.204 and earlier contain a memory corruption vulnerability that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This affects users who have Shockwave Player installed and visit malicious websites or open malicious Shockwave content. The vulnerability is rated critical with a CVSS score of 9.8.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Shockwave Player
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control over the victim's computer, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to malware installation, credential theft, or system compromise when users visit malicious websites containing crafted Shockwave content.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if systems are fully patched, have application whitelisting, or Shockwave Player is disabled/uninstalled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Memory corruption vulnerabilities in widely deployed media players are frequently weaponized. The high CVSS score and unauthenticated nature make this attractive to attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 12.3.5.205 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/shockwave/apsb19-20.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Shockwave Player
2. Go to Help > Check for Updates
3. Follow prompts to install update to version 12.3.5.205 or later
4. Restart browser/system as required
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Shockwave Player in browsers
allPrevent Shockwave Player from running in web browsers to block web-based attacks.
For Chrome: chrome://settings/content/flash
For Firefox: about:addons > Plugins > Shockwave Flash > Never Activate
For Edge: edge://settings/content/flash
Uninstall Shockwave Player
allRemove Shockwave Player entirely if not required for business operations.
Windows: Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program > Adobe Shockwave Player
macOS: Drag Adobe Shockwave Player from Applications folder to Trash
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block Shockwave Player execution
- Use network filtering to block Shockwave content (.swf files) from untrusted sources
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Shockwave Player version: Open Shockwave Player > Help > About Adobe Shockwave Player. If version is 12.3.4.204 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Shockwave Player\VersionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 12.3.5.205 or later in About Adobe Shockwave Player dialog.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Shockwave Player crash logs
- Browser crash reports involving Shockwave content
- Unexpected Shockwave Player process execution
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of .swf files from suspicious sources
- HTTP requests for Shockwave content from unusual IPs
SIEM Query:
process_name:"Shockwave Player" AND (event_type:crash OR parent_process:browser.exe)