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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2017-2993 Adobe CVE debrief

CVE-2017-2993 is a high-severity Adobe Flash Player memory-safety issue. In the supplied record, versions 24.0.0.194 and earlier are affected, and successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (use after free) and the NVD vector shows network-based attack conditions with user interaction required.

Vendor
Adobe
Product
Flash Player
CVSS
HIGH 8.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-15
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-15
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Security teams responsible for environments that still used Adobe Flash Player in 2017, especially browser-integrated Flash on Chrome, Edge, and Internet Explorer, plus the standalone Flash Player desktop runtime. Organizations with legacy web applications, embedded Flash content, or unmanaged endpoints should have treated this as a high-priority remediation item.

Technical summary

The NVD record describes an exploitable use-after-free tied to Flash Player event handlers. The weakness is mapped to CWE-416. NVD assigns CVSS 3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating a remotely reachable issue that does not require privileges but does require user interaction. The supplied CPEs identify vulnerable Flash Player variants up to and including 24.0.0.194 in browser and desktop runtime contexts.

Defensive priority

High. The CVSS score is 8.8 and the described impact includes arbitrary code execution. Any environment that still had the affected Flash versions enabled should have prioritized patching or removal immediately after Adobe’s advisory.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply Adobe’s security update referenced by APSB17-04 and confirm all Flash Player installations are beyond version 24.0.0.194.
  • Inventory browser-integrated and standalone Flash deployments, including Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, and desktop runtime variants listed in the NVD CPEs.
  • Disable or remove Flash Player where possible, especially on systems that no longer require it.
  • Validate downstream vendor advisories or package updates for Linux and enterprise distributions referenced in the record.
  • Use endpoint monitoring and browser controls to reduce exposure to malicious or unexpected Flash content.

Evidence notes

The supplied NVD record lists Adobe Flash Player versions 24.0.0.194 and earlier as vulnerable and tags the weakness as CWE-416. The record also includes Adobe’s APSB17-04 advisory plus downstream references from Red Hat and Gentoo. No KEV entry is present in the supplied enrichment data.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2017-2993 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2993

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2017-2993 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2993

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.