CVE-2014-0506 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 11.7.700.275 and 11.8.x through 13.0.x before 13.0.0.182 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.350 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 13.0.0.83 on Android, Adobe AIR SDK before 13.0.0.83, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 13.0.0.83 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, and possibly bypass an Internet Explorer sandbox protection mechanism, via unspecified vectors, as demonstrated by VUPEN during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2014.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The CVE-2014-0506 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR platforms that emerged as a significant concern in the cybersecurity landscape. This vulnerability affected multiple versions of Adobe's multimedia software across different operating systems including Windows, OS X, and Linux, with specific impacted ranges spanning from Flash Player versions before 11.7.700.275 and 11.8.x through 13.0.x before 13.0.0.182, alongside various Adobe AIR versions. The flaw was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited remotely to execute arbitrary code on targeted systems, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise user machines. The vulnerability was demonstrated by security researchers from VUPEN during the prestigious Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2014, which highlighted its practical exploitability and potential for widespread damage.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe Flash Player's handling of objects in memory. When a program releases memory that was previously allocated to an object but continues to reference that memory location, it creates a use-after-free condition that attackers can exploit. In the case of CVE-2014-0506, the flaw occurred during the processing of specific Flash content, where the software failed to properly validate object references after memory deallocation. This memory management error created opportunities for attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the Flash Player application, potentially allowing them to execute malicious code with the privileges of the running Flash process. The vulnerability's classification as a use-after-free aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory conditions in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial given Flash Player's widespread adoption and the privileged execution context in which it operated. The vulnerability could be exploited through web browsers that had Flash Player installed, making it particularly dangerous as users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or viewing compromised Flash content. The potential for bypassing Internet Explorer sandbox protection mechanisms added another layer of severity, as it could undermine the security isolation that operating systems and browsers implement to contain potentially malicious code execution. This capability to circumvent sandbox protections made the vulnerability especially attractive to attackers seeking persistent access to compromised systems, as it could potentially allow them to escape the restricted execution environment that typically limits the damage that malicious code can cause.
The exploitation of CVE-2014-0506 required attackers to craft specific Flash content that would trigger the memory management error during normal Flash Player operation. The vulnerability's demonstration at the Pwn2Own competition showed that skilled attackers could leverage this flaw to achieve remote code execution, potentially leading to full system compromise. Organizations and users were particularly vulnerable because Flash Player was installed on the majority of internet-connected devices, and many users never updated their Flash installations to patched versions. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability meant that attackers could target users across different operating systems, increasing the potential attack surface significantly. Security researchers and organizations had to respond quickly to this vulnerability, as the lack of immediate patches could leave systems exposed to active exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlighted the broader challenges associated with Flash Player security and contributed to the eventual decline in Flash usage as organizations began to phase out support for the technology due to its inherent security risks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0506 centered on immediate patching and system hardening measures. Organizations were advised to deploy patches from Adobe as quickly as possible, with the vendor releasing updates to address the specific memory management flaws in affected versions. The recommended approach included updating to Flash Player versions 11.7.700.275, 11.8.x through 13.0.x versions 13.0.0.182, and Adobe AIR versions 13.0.0.83 or later. Additionally, security measures such as disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing browser security features like sandboxing, and using network-level protections were recommended to reduce exposure. The vulnerability's demonstration at security competitions also underscored the importance of regular security assessments and the need for organizations to maintain current security practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability mapped to techniques involving exploitation of software vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, with the sandbox bypass capability specifically relating to defenses bypassing techniques that attackers could leverage to expand their access within compromised systems.