CVE-2015-0354 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-2015-0353, CVE-2015-0355, CVE-2015-0360, CVE-2015-3038, CVE-2015-3041, CVE-2015-3042, and CVE-2015-3043.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
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 these 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 reported issues in the same timeframe, indicating a complex attack surface within the Flash Player runtime environment. The unspecified vectors through which attackers could exploit this vulnerability typically involved malformed multimedia content or malicious web pages that triggered memory corruption during Flash Player's processing of multimedia assets. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common in memory corruption exploits targeting multimedia processing engines. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, effectively bypassing standard security controls and potentially establishing persistent access. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability enabled attackers to manipulate the program's memory layout, potentially overwriting critical function pointers or return addresses, thereby allowing for code execution. The impact of this vulnerability extended beyond simple exploitation, as it could also cause denial of service conditions that would crash the Flash Player application or even the entire operating system. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability was particularly dangerous because Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise environments, making it an attractive target for adversaries seeking to compromise large numbers of systems. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions across different operating systems demonstrated a systemic issue within the Flash Player codebase, suggesting that the underlying memory management flaws were not isolated to specific platform implementations. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player faced significant risk exposure, as the vulnerability could be exploited through web browsers without requiring any additional user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The exploitation of this vulnerability would typically follow attack patterns consistent with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1059.007 technique for command and control through web services, where attackers could leverage the Flash Player vulnerability as an initial access vector. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability meant that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, as attackers would gain the ability to execute code at the privilege level of the Flash Player process. This vulnerability highlighted the inherent security risks associated with rich media processing components in web browsers, particularly when these components were designed to handle untrusted input from potentially malicious sources. The fact that this vulnerability was distinct from other reported issues in the same year indicated that the Flash Player development team was dealing with multiple overlapping memory management problems that required comprehensive code review and patching efforts.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability required immediate patch deployment across all affected systems, as the memory corruption nature of the flaw made it extremely difficult to defend against using traditional network security controls. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure that all instances of affected Flash Player versions were updated promptly. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution meant that network segmentation alone would not provide adequate protection, as attackers could exploit the vulnerability through web browser access from any network location. System administrators needed to monitor for exploitation attempts and implement additional security controls such as browser sandboxing and content filtering to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Flash Player versions across different platforms required coordinated patching efforts that went beyond simple software updates, as organizations needed to ensure complete removal of vulnerable components. Security teams should have implemented threat hunting procedures to identify systems that might have been compromised before patching was completed, as the vulnerability's exploitation could occur without user interaction. The incident highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the risks associated with running deprecated software components, particularly those with extensive privilege models like Flash Player. Organizations should have considered transitioning away from Flash Player-based applications and content to reduce their attack surface, as this vulnerability represented a fundamental flaw in the platform's security architecture. The vulnerability's impact on enterprise environments demonstrated the critical need for maintaining security awareness and preparedness for zero-day exploits, particularly those affecting widely deployed software components. The exploitation of this vulnerability would have required attackers to develop or acquire specific exploit code, but the widespread deployment of vulnerable Flash Player versions meant that any successful exploitation could potentially affect large numbers of systems simultaneously.