CVE-2012-1535
Improper Input Validation in Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 11
Executive Summary
CVE-2012-1535 is a high severity vulnerability affecting appsec. It is classified as CWE-20. This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild.
Precogs AI Insight
"An unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious SWF content. Precogs Binary Analysis performs deep structural analysis to detect memory corruption in compiled binaries."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2012-1535 is categorized as a high Improper Input Validation flaw with a CVSS base score of 7.8. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 11.3.300.271 on Windows and Mac OS X and before 11.2.202.238 on Linux allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via crafted SWF content, as exploited in the wild in August 2012 with SWF content in a Word document.
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 7.8 (HIGH) |
| Vector String | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Published | August 15, 2012 |
| Last Modified | April 22, 2026 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-20, CWE-94, CWE-20, CWE-94 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Data Exfiltration: Attackers can extract sensitive data from backend databases, configuration files, or internal services.
✅ Authentication Bypass: Exploiting this flaw may allow unauthorized access to protected resources and administrative interfaces.
✅ Lateral Movement: Once initial access is gained, attackers can pivot to internal systems and escalate privileges.
How to Fix and Mitigate CVE-2012-1535
- Apply Vendor Patches Immediately: This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The impacted product is end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use.
- Verify Patch Deployment: Confirm all instances are updated using Precogs continuous monitoring.
- Review Audit Logs: Investigate historical access logs for indicators of compromise related to this attack surface.
- Implement Defense-in-Depth: Deploy WAF rules, network segmentation, and endpoint detection to limit blast radius.
Defending with Precogs AI
An unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious SWF content. Precogs Binary Analysis performs deep structural analysis to detect memory corruption in compiled binaries.
Use Precogs to continuously scan your codebase, binaries, APIs, and infrastructure for this vulnerability class and related attack patterns. Our AI-powered detection engine combines static analysis with threat intelligence to identify exploitable weaknesses before attackers do.
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Untrusted User Input |
| Vector | Input flows through the application logic without sanitization |
| Sink | Execution or Rendering Sink |
| Impact | Application compromise, Logic Bypass, Data Exfiltration |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
# ❌ VULNERABLE: Unsanitized Input Flow
def process_request(request):
user_input = request.GET.get('data')
# Taint sink: processing untrusted data
execute_logic(user_input)
return {"status": "success"}
Secure Code Pattern
# ✅ SECURE: Input Validation & Sanitization
def process_request(request):
user_input = request.GET.get('data')
# Sanitized boundary check
if not is_valid_format(user_input):
raise ValueError("Invalid input format")
sanitized_data = sanitize(user_input)
execute_logic(sanitized_data)
return {"status": "success"}
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs AI Analysis Engine maps untrusted input directly to execution sinks to catch complex application security vulnerabilities.\n