CVE-2015-0338 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in 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 via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2022
Adobe Flash Player suffered from a critical integer overflow vulnerability that affected multiple versions across different operating systems. This flaw existed in Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.277 for Windows and OS X, and before 11.2.202.451 for Linux, as well as versions 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X. The vulnerability stemmed from improper handling of integer values during memory allocation operations, creating a condition where attackers could manipulate input data to cause integer overflow. This specific issue falls under CWE-190, which represents integer overflow and underflow conditions, making it a classic example of unsafe integer arithmetic that can lead to memory corruption. The vulnerability allowed remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, representing a severe privilege escalation risk that could be exploited through malicious web content or specially crafted files.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurred through unspecified attack vectors that leveraged the integer overflow to manipulate memory allocation processes within Flash Player's runtime environment. When the vulnerable software encountered input data that triggered the overflow condition, it would allocate insufficient memory for processing, leading to memory corruption that could be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical memory locations. This memory corruption typically enabled attackers to redirect program execution flow, ultimately allowing them to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The attack surface was particularly broad given Flash Player's widespread deployment across web browsers and applications, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise environments and individual users alike. The vulnerability's exploitation required no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a compromised file, making it a prime target for zero-day attacks in the wild.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extended far beyond simple code execution, as it provided attackers with persistent access to compromised systems and enabled further exploitation activities. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, establish backdoors, or conduct further reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Flash Player versions across different platforms meant that organizations needed to urgently patch all affected systems, creating significant operational challenges for IT administrators. Security researchers noted that this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during 2015, making it a high-priority threat that required immediate remediation. The attack could bypass many traditional security controls since Flash Player was often enabled by default in web browsers and applications, creating a persistent attack surface that organizations had to address through comprehensive patch management programs.
Organizations should have implemented immediate patching strategies to address this vulnerability, as Adobe released security updates for all affected versions of Flash Player. The recommended mitigation approach involved deploying patches as soon as they became available through Adobe's security bulletin system and enterprise patch management solutions. Additional defensive measures included disabling Flash Player in web browsers where possible, implementing web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious Flash content, and conducting security awareness training to educate users about the risks of visiting untrusted websites. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability mapped to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through legitimate system binaries, with the attack chain typically following the pattern of initial access through web-based exploitation followed by command and control communication. Organizations also needed to implement network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures to handle potential compromise events. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software inventory and implementing robust software lifecycle management practices to prevent similar issues in the future.