CVE-2015-0334 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.451 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging an unspecified "type confusion," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0336.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.277 on Windows and OS X, and versions 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on the same platforms, as well as versions before 11.2.202.451 on Linux, contained a critical type confusion vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically manifested as an improper handling of data types within the Flash Player runtime environment, where the application failed to properly validate or distinguish between different data type classifications during processing operations. The flaw existed in the way Flash Player managed memory and object references, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate object type information and subsequently execute malicious code with the privileges of the Flash Player process.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which describes null pointer dereference conditions, and more specifically relates to type confusion issues that fall under CWE-468 and CWE-467. These vulnerabilities occur when a program incorrectly handles data types, leading to situations where memory locations intended for one type of data are accessed as another type. In the context of Flash Player, this manifested when the application's ActionScript runtime failed to properly enforce type safety during object manipulation, allowing attackers to craft malicious SWF files that would trigger the type confusion condition. The vulnerability exploited the underlying memory management mechanisms within the Flash Player's virtual machine, where improper type validation allowed attackers to overwrite critical memory structures and redirect execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe and widespread given Flash Player's ubiquity across web browsers and operating systems. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability through malicious web pages that loaded specially crafted SWF content, requiring no user interaction beyond visiting the compromised website. The attack vector was particularly dangerous because it could be delivered through standard web browsing activities, making it difficult to defend against through traditional network security measures. The exploit could potentially result in full system compromise, as the executed code would run with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which typically had access to the user's system resources. This vulnerability affected not only desktop operating systems but also mobile platforms that relied on Flash Player for content delivery, creating a broad attack surface that extended beyond traditional desktop computing environments.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should have immediately applied the security patches released by Adobe, which included version updates to Flash Player that addressed the type confusion issues through improved type validation mechanisms and enhanced memory management routines. The mitigation strategy should have encompassed not only patching the Flash Player installations but also implementing network-level controls to block Flash content delivery when possible, given the persistent nature of such vulnerabilities in multimedia frameworks. Security teams should have monitored for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implemented endpoint detection measures to identify potential compromise indicators. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the need for organizations to consider alternative technologies that do not rely on legacy multimedia frameworks with known security issues. This vulnerability ultimately contributed to the broader industry trend toward deprecating Flash Player and transitioning to HTML5-based multimedia solutions, as the security risks associated with such rich media frameworks became increasingly apparent.
This vulnerability also demonstrated characteristics that align with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of remote services, and T1059, which covers command and control through scripting languages. The attack chain typically involved initial compromise through web-based delivery, followed by exploitation of the type confusion vulnerability to achieve code execution, and potentially subsequent lateral movement through the compromised system. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive security monitoring that included behavioral analysis of Flash Player processes and network traffic patterns associated with known exploitation techniques. The incident underscored the importance of maintaining software inventory and patch management processes, as well as the need for security awareness training to help users recognize potentially malicious web content that could leverage such vulnerabilities.