# CVE-2016-0984: Adobe Flash Player and AIR Use-After-Free

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via a use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, requiring users to upgrade to patched versions.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 May 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Feb 2016
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wg97-qrh5-p5pr, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-0984

## What is CVE-2016-0984?

CVE-2016-0984 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Air Desktop Runtime, published on 10 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.329 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.306 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.569 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 20.0.0.260, Adobe AIR SDK before 20.0.0.260, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 20.0.0.260 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0973, CVE-2016-0974, CVE-2016-0975, CVE-2016-0982, and CVE-2016-0983.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-0984?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Adobe Air Desktop Runtime, Adobe Air Sdk, Adobe Air Sdk \& Compiler, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Flash Player Desktop Runtime.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-0984?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2016-0984 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-0984 in the wild since at least 25 May 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Adobe Flash - Sound.loadPCMFromByteArray Dangling Pointer (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Air Desktop Runtime

- [CVE-2016-1019](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1019/): Adobe Flash Player Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0564](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0564/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2016-4120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4120/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-4121](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4121/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-4160](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4160/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-0984 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-0984 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Air Desktop Runtime, published on 10 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-0984 in the wild since at least 25 May 2022.

Affected product: Adobe Air Desktop Runtime. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-0984/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-0984/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-0984
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-0984
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-0984

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-0984/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.