CVE-2015-4428 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-2015-3129, CVE-2015-3131, CVE-2015-3132, CVE-2015-3136, CVE-2015-3137, CVE-2015-4430, and CVE-2015-5117.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
This use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player represents a critical memory safety issue that has been exploited in the wild, affecting multiple versions across different operating systems. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management within the Flash Player runtime environment where freed memory blocks are still accessed by subsequent operations. This particular flaw exists in 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 in versions before 11.2.202.481 on Linux, along with affected Adobe AIR implementations. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 as an improper free operation, specifically manifesting as a use-after-free condition that can be leveraged for remote code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious Flash content that triggers a specific memory access pattern. When the Flash Player processes this content, it frees memory associated with certain objects while simultaneously allowing subsequent code execution to reference those freed memory locations. This creates a scenario where attackers can manipulate the memory layout to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The attack vector typically involves web-based exploitation where users inadvertently visit compromised websites hosting malicious SWF files, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks. The flaw differs from other related vulnerabilities in the same year range, indicating a distinct code path or memory management issue within the Flash Player's object lifecycle management.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4428 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables full system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code remotely without user interaction, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits in advanced persistent threat campaigns. The cross-platform nature of this vulnerability means that organizations running any affected version of Flash Player or AIR across Windows, macOS, or Linux systems are at risk of complete system compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as attackers can leverage the memory corruption to gain elevated privileges and establish persistent access. The exploitation often results in the installation of backdoors, keyloggers, or other malware that can maintain persistence on compromised systems.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability across their enterprise environments. The primary and most effective mitigation involves updating all affected Adobe Flash Player installations to versions 13.0.0.302 or later, 18.0.0.203 or later, or ensuring that Adobe AIR and AIR SDK versions are updated to 18.0.0.180 or later. System administrators should also implement network-based protections including web application firewalls and content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious Flash content. Additionally, disabling Flash Player entirely through browser plugins or group policy configurations provides a strong defense-in-depth measure. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual memory access patterns or process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a use-after-free under CWE-416 underscores the importance of implementing memory safety checks and regular code reviews to prevent similar issues in other software components within the enterprise environment.