CVE-2015-0357 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 does not properly restrict discovery of memory addresses, which allows attackers to bypass the ASLR protection mechanism via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3040.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to specific patched releases contained a critical vulnerability that undermined fundamental memory protection mechanisms on multiple operating systems. This vulnerability specifically targeted the Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) security feature, which is designed to randomize the memory layout of processes to prevent exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The flaw existed in Flash Player versions 13.0.0.280 and earlier, all 14.x versions through 17.x versions before 17.0.0.169 on Windows and OS X platforms, and versions before 11.2.202.457 on Linux systems. The vulnerability allowed attackers to discover memory addresses that should have been randomized, effectively nullifying the ASLR protection that was meant to make exploitation of other memory corruption vulnerabilities much more difficult.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stemmed from improper handling of memory address discovery within the Flash Player runtime environment. Attackers could leverage unspecified vectors to extract memory layout information that would normally be protected by ASLR, enabling them to predict memory locations where critical components were loaded. This weakness was particularly dangerous because it created a pathway for attackers to bypass multiple layers of security protection that are standard in modern operating systems. The vulnerability did not directly exploit memory corruption but rather provided a method to circumvent the memory protection mechanisms that would otherwise be required to successfully exploit other Flash Player vulnerabilities. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-209, which describes "Information Exposure Through an Error Message," although in this case the exposure was specifically related to memory address information rather than error messages. The impact was significant as it allowed attackers to perform more sophisticated attacks against systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions, particularly when combined with other memory corruption vulnerabilities that were already present in the software.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe across enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed for multimedia content delivery and web application functionality. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Flash Player faced increased risk of successful exploitation attempts, particularly when combined with other vulnerabilities in the same software ecosystem. The vulnerability affected not just individual user systems but also enterprise infrastructure where Flash Player was used extensively for internal applications and web-based services. Attackers could use this information to craft more sophisticated attacks that would otherwise be prevented by ASLR protection, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability particularly impacted Windows and OS X environments where Flash Player was commonly installed, though the Linux variant also required patching to address the memory disclosure issue. The attack surface was broad due to Flash Player's widespread adoption, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that had not yet transitioned away from Flash-based content delivery. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which describes "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," as the vulnerability enabled attackers to bypass security controls that would normally prevent successful exploitation.
Organizations needed to implement immediate patching strategies to address this vulnerability across all affected systems. The recommended mitigation involved updating to the patched versions of Adobe Flash Player that specifically addressed the memory address disclosure issue. Security administrators should have prioritized patch deployment across all Windows, OS X, and Linux systems running vulnerable Flash Player versions. Additional defensive measures included implementing network-based restrictions to limit Flash Player usage, using application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of vulnerable versions, and monitoring for suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for all software components, particularly those with widespread deployment and complex memory management requirements. Organizations should have also considered implementing additional monitoring for memory access patterns and address space layout information that could indicate exploitation attempts. The incident underscored the critical nature of maintaining robust security controls even for software components that are no longer actively developed, as vulnerabilities in legacy software can continue to pose significant risks to enterprise security infrastructure.