CVE-2015-5541 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.232 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.508 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 18.0.0.199, Adobe AIR SDK before 18.0.0.199, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 18.0.0.199 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5129.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2022
This heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player represents a critical security flaw that affected multiple operating systems and Adobe products. The vulnerability exists in Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.232 on Windows and OS X, and prior to 11.2.202.508 on Linux, alongside affected versions of Adobe AIR and its associated SDKs. The flaw stems from improper memory management during heap allocation processes, creating conditions where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a serious weakness in memory safety mechanisms. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, making it a severe threat vector for malicious exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption through heap-based buffer overflows, which occurs when the application writes more data to a heap-allocated buffer than it can accommodate. This particular flaw differs from CVE-2015-5129, indicating it represents a distinct attack surface within the Flash Player codebase. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious Flash content that triggers the buffer overflow condition when processed by the vulnerable software. The exploitation typically requires the user to interact with malicious content, often through web browsers or other applications that invoke Flash Player. This attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain execution privileges on target systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with complete control over affected systems. Once successfully exploited, attackers can install malware, modify system files, establish persistence mechanisms, and access sensitive data without detection. The widespread adoption of Flash Player across various platforms made this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could affect users across different operating systems and applications. Organizations using affected versions of Flash Player, AIR, or AIR SDKs faced significant risk of compromise, especially in enterprise environments where these technologies were commonly deployed. The vulnerability's presence in both runtime environments and development tools created additional attack surfaces for threat actors to exploit. The security implications are further amplified by the fact that Flash Player was frequently used in web applications, making it a prime target for drive-by attacks and social engineering campaigns. Organizations needed to implement immediate patching strategies and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and demonstrated the risks associated with legacy software platforms that continue to receive limited security support.