CVE-2015-0352 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
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 or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0347, CVE-2015-0350, CVE-2015-0353, CVE-2015-0354, CVE-2015-0355, CVE-2015-0360, CVE-2015-3038, CVE-2015-3041, CVE-2015-3042, and CVE-2015-3043.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.281 on Windows and OS X, and versions 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.169 on the same platforms, as well as versions before 11.2.202.457 on Linux, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability represents a distinct flaw from several other related issues in the same timeframe, specifically excluding CVE-2015-0347 through CVE-2015-3043, indicating it was a separate and unique memory management issue within the Flash Player runtime environment. The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling mechanisms within the player's code execution environment, where attackers could manipulate memory structures through crafted input vectors to trigger heap corruption or stack overflow conditions. The technical nature of this flaw aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-122, which deals with insufficient synchronization of memory operations, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to enterprise environments where Flash Player remains installed, as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The attack vector typically involves malicious web content that, when loaded in a browser with Flash Player, triggers the memory corruption flaw. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service scenarios where system resources could be exhausted or corrupted, making the affected systems unstable or unusable. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling and attack surface analysis, particularly when evaluating the ATT&CK framework's T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers could leverage this flaw to establish persistent access. The mitigation strategy should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Flash Player versions to prevent exploitation, alongside network-based protections such as content filtering and browser security controls. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies to restrict Flash Player execution to trusted environments only, while monitoring for indicators of compromise related to this specific vulnerability. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing security challenges associated with legacy software components and highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all system components. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to bypass traditional security controls through memory corruption techniques. This flaw underscores the critical need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs that address not only known exploits but also the underlying architectural weaknesses that make software susceptible to such memory-based attacks.