CVE-2015-5545 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
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 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5544, CVE-2015-5546, CVE-2015-5547, CVE-2015-5548, CVE-2015-5549, CVE-2015-5552, and CVE-2015-5553.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2024
Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR versions prior to the specified patches contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution and denial of service conditions. This vulnerability affects multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems, with distinct affected versions for each platform. The flaw manifests through unspecified attack vectors that differ from several other related vulnerabilities in the same timeframe, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling issue within the Adobe runtime environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Flash Player and AIR runtime components. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when applications write data beyond allocated memory boundaries or access memory that has already been freed, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow. In this case, the vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious content that when processed by the affected software can trigger buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory handling errors that result in arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it affects widely deployed software across enterprise environments. Adobe Flash Player was ubiquitous in web browsers and applications, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that had not yet migrated to modern web standards. The vulnerability could be exploited through web-based attacks, where users would encounter malicious Flash content that triggers the memory corruption condition. This creates a significant attack surface since Flash content was commonly embedded in web pages, email attachments, and other digital media.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Adobe Flash Player and AIR installations across their networks. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive inventory management to identify all systems running vulnerable versions, followed by deployment of the official patches provided by Adobe. Security teams should also implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering to block known malicious Flash content. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing browser security policies that disable Flash content entirely or restrict its execution to trusted domains. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree methodology where memory corruption flaws represent common entry points for privilege escalation and persistent access to target systems.
This vulnerability demonstrates the persistent security challenges associated with legacy software components and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches. The affected versions represent a significant security risk that could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems, execute malicious code, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The distinction from other CVEs in the same year highlights the complexity of modern software security and the need for comprehensive vulnerability management processes. Organizations should treat this vulnerability as a critical priority and implement layered defensive measures including endpoint protection, network monitoring, and user education to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of transitioning away from deprecated technologies like Flash Player to modern secure web standards that provide better security guarantees and reduced attack surfaces.
CWE classification for this vulnerability would likely fall under CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer or CWE-476 Null Pointer Dereference, depending on the specific memory handling error exploited. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and potentially T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution as attackers leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on target systems. The attack vector would typically involve initial access through web browsing or email attachments containing malicious Flash content, followed by exploitation of the memory corruption to achieve code execution and potentially establish persistence within the compromised environment.