CVE-2015-0341 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability 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, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0342.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2022
The CVE-2015-0341 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player that affected multiple version ranges across different operating systems. This vulnerability specifically impacted Flash Player versions before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X platforms, as well as versions before 11.2.202.451 on Linux systems. The flaw falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, creating opportunities for memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the victim's current session, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging a specific code path within Flash Player's memory management system where objects are freed but references to them persist. Attackers can craft malicious Flash content that triggers this condition, causing the application to access freed memory locations and potentially overwrite critical program structures or execute attacker-controlled code. This type of vulnerability is classified under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it typically involves exploitation through Flash-based web content that executes JavaScript or ActionScript code. The memory corruption occurs during normal Flash Player operations when processing malformed or malicious content, making it particularly difficult to detect and prevent through traditional security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0341 was significant across enterprise and consumer environments, as Flash Player was widely deployed across multiple platforms and browsers. The vulnerability could be exploited through web browsers that had Flash Player installed, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks where users would encounter malicious content simply by visiting compromised websites. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player faced substantial risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The vulnerability's exploitation required no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability's impact extended beyond immediate code execution to potentially enable privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, as attackers could leverage the executed code to establish backdoors or further compromise the affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0341 centered on immediate patch deployment and system hardening measures. Organizations were strongly advised to update to patched versions of Adobe Flash Player, specifically versions 13.0.0.277, 17.0.0.134, and 11.2.202.451 respectively for each affected platform. System administrators should have implemented network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block malicious Flash content before it could reach vulnerable systems. Browser security configurations were enhanced through sandboxing mechanisms and plugin restrictions, with many organizations disabling Flash Player entirely on systems where it was not essential for business operations. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive vulnerability management programs, as the exploitation of such flaws often occurred in the absence of timely security updates. Additionally, security monitoring solutions were deployed to detect unusual network traffic patterns or suspicious code execution that might indicate exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures were updated to address potential compromises resulting from such vulnerabilities.