CVE-2015-0355 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-2015-0354, 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 attacks. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability type, which represents an out-of-bounds read condition where an attacker can access memory locations beyond the bounds of allocated buffers. The flaw manifested in the way Flash Player handled certain data structures during processing, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code on affected systems.
The vulnerability exploited a memory corruption issue that occurred when Flash Player processed specific malformed input data through its ActionScript interpreter and native code components. Attackers could craft malicious Flash content that would trigger the memory corruption during normal playback operations, leading to unpredictable behavior that could be leveraged for privilege escalation. This particular vulnerability was distinct from several other Flash-related CVEs released in the same timeframe, including CVE-2015-0347 through CVE-2015-3043, which indicates the presence of multiple attack vectors targeting different aspects of the Flash runtime environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risk to enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed, particularly in web browsers and content management systems. The memory corruption allowed attackers to bypass standard security mechanisms and potentially gain complete system control, making it a prime target for advanced persistent threat campaigns. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and establishment of persistent backdoors. Security researchers noted that the attack surface was particularly large due to Flash's widespread adoption across multiple platforms and applications.
Organizations should have implemented immediate patching strategies targeting the specific vulnerable versions mentioned in the advisory, while also considering broader security measures including browser sandboxing, content filtering, and network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing robust vulnerability management processes. According to ATT&CK framework techniques, this vulnerability would map to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage and potentially T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Organizations should have also considered implementing application whitelisting policies and monitoring for anomalous Flash Player behavior to detect potential exploitation attempts. The incident underscored the critical need for continuous security assessments and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used software components.