CVE-2014-8440 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.252 and 14.x and 15.x before 15.0.0.223 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.418 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 15.0.0.356, Adobe AIR SDK before 15.0.0.356, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 15.0.0.356 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-0576, CVE-2014-0581, and CVE-2014-8441.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2025
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.252 and 14.x and 15.x before 15.0.0.223 on Windows and OS X platforms, along with Adobe AIR versions before 15.0.0.356 and related SDK versions, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability specifically affected systems running on Windows and OS X operating systems, while Linux versions were impacted by a separate but related issue affecting Adobe AIR versions before 11.2.202.418. The flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that differed from previously identified vulnerabilities including CVE-2014-0576, CVE-2014-0581, and CVE-2014-8441, indicating a distinct exploitation pathway within the Flash Player and AIR runtime environments. The memory corruption issue stemmed from improper handling of certain data structures during Flash content processing, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common attack vectors in memory corruption exploits. The attack surface was particularly broad given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments, making this vulnerability highly attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to target systems. From an operational perspective, successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's impact was further amplified by Flash Player's integration with web browsers and its ability to execute content from untrusted sources without proper sandboxing mechanisms. Security researchers identified that the flaw occurred during the processing of malformed multimedia content, where buffer overflows and memory corruption allowed attackers to overwrite critical program memory locations. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage through Flash Player, and T1190, which involves exploitation of remote services through web-based attacks. The attack chain typically involved hosting malicious Flash content on compromised websites or through social engineering campaigns, where user interaction with the malicious content would trigger the memory corruption exploit. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player and AIR were particularly vulnerable due to the runtime's extensive use in web applications, online advertising, and enterprise software deployments. The vulnerability's exploitation required minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Security patches released by Adobe addressed the memory corruption issue through improved input validation and memory management routines. The remediation process required immediate deployment of updated Flash Player and AIR versions across all affected systems, with additional network-level protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls providing temporary mitigation. The vulnerability highlighted the inherent risks associated with rich media runtime environments and underscored the importance of regular security updates and vulnerability management processes. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive patch management procedures and security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could be used in advanced persistent threat campaigns targeting specific industries and government sectors. The broader implications of this vulnerability reinforced industry best practices for reducing attack surfaces through disabling unnecessary runtime components and implementing strict content security policies for Flash-based applications.