CVE-2015-0353 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-2015-0352, 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 issue from several other related CVEs published in the same advisory cycle, indicating a complex attack surface within the Flash Player runtime environment. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that multiple code paths within the player's memory management system could be exploited, potentially through malformed input handling or improper memory allocation routines that led to buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions.
The technical flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue that occurs when Flash Player processes certain multimedia content or embedded objects within web pages. This type of vulnerability typically stems from insufficient bounds checking or improper memory management practices within the ActionScript virtual machine or native code components of the Flash runtime. Attackers could craft malicious Flash content that, when loaded by an affected browser plugin, would trigger memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue aligns with common attack patterns documented in the CWE database under category CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write conditions, which are frequently exploited in browser plugin vulnerabilities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risks to enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed across Windows and macOS systems. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely meant that attackers could potentially gain full system control, install malware, or establish persistent backdoors without user interaction. The denial of service component could be exploited to crash browser sessions or system processes, creating availability issues that could disrupt business operations. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player were particularly vulnerable because the plugin was commonly enabled in web browsers and often auto-loaded without user awareness, creating numerous potential attack vectors through web browsing activities.
Security practitioners should have prioritized immediate patch deployment for this vulnerability, as it represented a critical threat level that could be exploited through standard web browsing activities. The recommended mitigation strategy involved updating to the patched versions of Flash Player as specified in the advisory, which included version 13.0.0.281 for Windows and OS X, 17.0.0.169 for the same platforms, and 11.2.202.457 for Linux systems. Organizations should have implemented additional protective measures such as disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing network-based protections like web application firewalls, and monitoring for exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrated the broader threat landscape of browser plugin security and reinforced the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. The incident highlighted the necessity of comprehensive vulnerability management programs and the risks associated with legacy software components that remain in widespread use despite known security issues.