CVE-2015-0351 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.281 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.169 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.457 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0349, CVE-2015-0358, and CVE-2015-3039.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2022
The CVE-2015-0351 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player that affected multiple versions across different operating systems. This vulnerability resides in the memory management mechanisms of the Flash Player runtime environment, specifically in how it handles object references and memory deallocation processes. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to access memory locations that have already been freed, creating a condition where malicious code can manipulate the freed memory to execute arbitrary instructions. This particular vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited across multiple platforms including Windows, OS X, and Linux, with different version ranges affected on each operating system. The vulnerability's classification as a use-after-free aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory in software applications, making it a well-documented and serious memory safety issue.
The exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified attack vectors that typically involve crafting malicious Flash content designed to trigger the memory corruption condition. Attackers would need to deliver malicious SWF files or web content that, when rendered by the vulnerable Flash Player, would cause the application to free memory associated with an object and subsequently attempt to access that same memory location. This creates a window of opportunity for code execution where attackers can overwrite function pointers, control structures, or other critical memory regions with their malicious payloads. The vulnerability's distinction from related CVEs such as CVE-2015-0349, CVE-2015-0358, and CVE-2015-3039 indicates that it represents a unique code path or implementation flaw within the Flash Player's memory management subsystem, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through conventional security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0351 was substantial given Flash Player's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments. Organizations relying on Flash-based applications, web content, and multimedia presentations faced significant risk of compromise when users encountered malicious content. The vulnerability could be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks, allowing attackers to gain elevated system privileges and potentially achieve full system compromise. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligned with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and code execution through exploitation of software vulnerabilities. The attack surface was broad due to Flash Player's integration with web browsers and its frequent use in enterprise environments, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking persistent access to networks. The vulnerability's presence in both major version branches of Flash Player 13 and 17 demonstrated the persistence of memory safety issues within Adobe's runtime environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0351 centered primarily on immediate patch deployment and application of Adobe's security updates. Organizations needed to ensure all affected Flash Player versions were updated to the patched releases, with particular attention to the specific version ranges mentioned in the vulnerability description. System administrators should have implemented browser security policies that restricted Flash content execution or disabled Flash entirely where possible. Network-based defenses included implementing web application firewalls and content filtering systems that could detect and block malicious Flash content. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrated the risks associated with continued use of legacy software components. Security teams needed to conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Flash Player versions and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The incident underscored the broader security implications of runtime vulnerabilities in widely deployed software components and the necessity of robust software supply chain security practices to prevent similar issues in the future.