CVE-2015-3129 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-2015-3128, 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 • 05/23/2022
The CVE-2015-3129 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related runtime environments that existed across multiple platform versions and release streams. This vulnerability specifically affects Adobe 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 platforms, as well as versions before 11.2.202.481 on Linux systems. Additionally, the vulnerability impacts Adobe AIR runtime environments and their corresponding SDKs before version 18.0.0.180, making it a widespread issue affecting the entire Adobe runtime ecosystem. The flaw enables remote code execution through unspecified attack vectors that distinguish it from other related vulnerabilities in the same timeframe, including CVE-2015-3118 through CVE-2015-5117, which indicates this represents a unique exploitation pathway within the broader context of Flash Player security issues.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Flash Player runtime environment where a freed memory location is accessed after it has been deallocated. This use-after-free condition creates a scenario where an attacker can manipulate the memory state to redirect execution flow or inject malicious code into the running process. The vulnerability manifests when the Flash Player processes certain multimedia content or executes specific script operations that trigger the improper memory handling behavior. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, a well-known class of memory safety issues that frequently lead to arbitrary code execution. The memory corruption occurs in the Flash Player's handling of dynamic objects and memory allocation patterns, particularly when dealing with complex multimedia content that involves object destruction and subsequent reuse.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3129 extends beyond simple exploitation as it provides attackers with a powerful remote code execution capability that can be leveraged across multiple platforms and environments. Attackers can craft malicious Flash content that, when loaded by an affected browser or application, triggers the memory corruption and allows arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise environments and consumer systems, making the attack surface extremely broad. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile versions of Adobe AIR further amplifies the risk, as it affects not only web-based attacks but also applications built using Adobe's runtime environments. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and privilege escalation, with the potential to establish persistent access through the execution of malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3129 require immediate remediation through patching of affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR runtime versions, as well as comprehensive system hardening measures. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected systems to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player, AIR runtime, and their corresponding SDKs to eliminate the vulnerability exposure. Network-based mitigations can include blocking Flash content at the firewall level or implementing browser security policies that disable Flash plugin execution entirely. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted Flash content and monitor for suspicious Flash-related processes. The vulnerability's classification as a critical security issue means that immediate action is required, as attackers have been known to actively exploit such vulnerabilities in the wild. System administrators should also implement comprehensive monitoring for any attempts to access or execute Flash content on systems that have not yet been patched, as the vulnerability represents a significant risk to system integrity and data confidentiality.