CVE-2015-3088 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in 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 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2025
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3088 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple Adobe Flash Player versions across different operating systems and Adobe AIR implementations. This vulnerability resides within the memory management subsystem of Adobe's multimedia platform, specifically manifesting in the heap allocation mechanisms that handle dynamic memory operations during content execution. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through carefully crafted input vectors, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution on targeted systems. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Adobe products including 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 specific versions on linux systems, as well as various Adobe AIR implementations. The technical implementation involves improper bounds checking during heap memory operations where the application fails to validate the size of incoming data before copying it into allocated memory regions, creating opportunities for memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple attack surfaces and execution environments, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise and consumer settings. Attackers can leverage this heap overflow to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the compromised Flash Player process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation capability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework, where memory corruption vulnerabilities often serve as initial access vectors leading to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. The attack surface includes web browsers that embed Flash Player, desktop applications that utilize AIR frameworks, and development environments using AIR SDK components. Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in heap memory regions. The vulnerability's presence in multiple product lines demonstrates the widespread impact potential and the complexity of remediation efforts required across different software ecosystems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3088 require immediate patch deployment across all affected Adobe products, with comprehensive system updates including Flash Player, AIR runtime, and AIR SDK components. Organizations should implement network-based controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems to block malicious Flash content, while also considering the complete disablement of Flash Player functionality in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's exploitation requires specific conditions including user interaction with malicious content, making user education and awareness programs crucial components of defense in depth strategies. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual network connections, unauthorized process executions, and memory anomalies that may indicate exploitation attempts. Industry standards such as the mitre attack framework classify this vulnerability under the execution and privilege escalation categories, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that include process isolation, memory protection mechanisms, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other software components. The remediation process must also consider the broader implications for legacy systems that may not receive continued support, requiring careful risk assessment and alternative security measures for environments where immediate patching is not feasible.