CVE-2015-3086 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.289 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.188 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.460 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 17.0.0.172, Adobe AIR SDK before 17.0.0.172, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 17.0.0.172 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging an unspecified "type confusion," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3077 and CVE-2015-3084.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.289 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.188 on Windows and OS X platforms, along with Adobe AIR versions before 17.0.0.172 across multiple components, contained a critical type confusion vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically manifested as an improper handling of data types during runtime operations, where the Flash Player's ActionScript virtual machine failed to properly validate or enforce type boundaries when processing malicious input. The flaw was distinct from other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2015-3077 and CVE-2015-3084, indicating a separate code path that was susceptible to exploitation. The type confusion vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which represents improper validation of array indices, and more broadly aligns with CWE-131, which covers improper handling of buffer sizes, both of which are common precursors to memory corruption exploits. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction, making it an ideal candidate for drive-by download scenarios.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurred when malicious Flash content attempted to manipulate the virtual machine's type system by presenting data that would be interpreted as one type but actually contained data of another type. This misalignment allowed attackers to overwrite memory locations, manipulate function pointers, or corrupt the runtime environment in ways that could be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The exploitation typically involved crafting specially formatted SWF files that would trigger the type confusion during deserialization or runtime execution, leading to a complete system compromise. The vulnerability was particularly severe on Windows and OS X platforms where the Flash Player had more extensive system integration capabilities, while the Linux versions were also affected but potentially less exploitable due to different system security models. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059.007 for Windows Scripting and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, demonstrating how attackers could leverage Flash Player weaknesses to establish persistent access.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3086 was significant across enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed for multimedia content, web applications, and rich internet applications. Organizations that had not implemented proper patch management protocols were particularly vulnerable to zero-day exploitation, as the vulnerability could be immediately weaponized by threat actors without requiring any special prerequisites or user interaction. The vulnerability's presence in Adobe AIR SDK components also meant that developers creating applications with AIR frameworks were at risk of inadvertently creating exploitable applications. Security teams had to implement immediate mitigation strategies including disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing network-based controls to block Flash content, and deploying endpoint detection systems capable of identifying exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and demonstrated how legacy Flash Player installations could serve as persistent attack vectors for advanced persistent threats. Organizations that had not yet transitioned away from Flash-based applications faced particularly high risk, as the vulnerability could be exploited through legitimate business applications that users expected to function normally. The exploitation of this vulnerability often resulted in full system compromise, making it a preferred target for nation-state actors and sophisticated threat groups seeking to establish long-term access to target networks.