CVE-2015-3128 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.302 and 14.x through 18.x before 18.0.0.203 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.481 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 18.0.0.180, Adobe AIR SDK before 18.0.0.180, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 18.0.0.180 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3118, CVE-2015-3124, CVE-2015-3127, CVE-2015-3129, CVE-2015-3131, CVE-2015-3132, CVE-2015-3136, CVE-2015-3137, CVE-2015-4428, CVE-2015-4430, and CVE-2015-5117.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2025
The CVE-2015-3128 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and AIR runtime environments that affected multiple platform versions across Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, creating opportunities for malicious code execution. The affected versions include Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.302 and 14.x through 18.x before 18.0.0.203 on Windows and OS X, as well as Flash Player versions before 11.2.202.481 on Linux, alongside various Adobe AIR and AIR SDK versions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems without requiring user interaction, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits in the cybersecurity landscape.
The technical exploitation of this use-after-free vulnerability leverages the fundamental memory management flaw where an application frees a memory block but continues to reference it elsewhere in the code execution flow. In the context of Adobe Flash Player, this typically occurs during object handling and memory management within the player's runtime environment, particularly when processing multimedia content or handling complex object interactions. Attackers can craft malicious SWF files or web content that triggers the vulnerable code path, causing the application to free memory associated with a Flash object while still maintaining references to it. This creates a memory corruption scenario where the freed memory can be reallocated and manipulated by malicious code, ultimately allowing attackers to overwrite critical program data or execute shellcode directly within the application's memory space.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3128 extends far beyond simple code execution as it represents a complete compromise of the affected system's security posture. The vulnerability's ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without user interaction makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player remains widely deployed for legacy web applications. Security researchers have mapped this vulnerability to the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting Windows Command Shell, as attackers can leverage the memory corruption to establish persistent backdoors or deploy additional malware payloads. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile Flash Player versions, along with Adobe AIR runtime environments, creates an extensive attack surface that spans multiple deployment scenarios including web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile platforms, making it a preferred target for advanced persistent threat groups seeking broad system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3128 should focus on immediate patch deployment and comprehensive system hardening measures. Organizations must prioritize updating all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR installations to their patched versions, specifically targeting Flash Player 13.0.0.302, 18.0.0.203, and the corresponding AIR versions 18.0.0.180. Beyond patching, system administrators should implement network-level protections through web application firewalls and content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious Flash content. The vulnerability's exploitation pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting the need for endpoint protection solutions that monitor for suspicious memory access patterns and anomalous behavior in Flash Player processes. Additional defensive measures include disabling Flash Player in web browsers where possible, implementing strict browser security policies, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify any remaining unpatched systems within the organization's infrastructure. The remediation process should also include monitoring for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, as the use-after-free nature often leaves detectable traces in system logs and memory dumps that can aid in forensic analysis and threat hunting activities.