CVE-2015-5551 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability 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-2015-5127, CVE-2015-5130, CVE-2015-5134, CVE-2015-5539, CVE-2015-5540, CVE-2015-5550, CVE-2015-5556, CVE-2015-5557, CVE-2015-5559, CVE-2015-5561, CVE-2015-5563, CVE-2015-5564, and CVE-2015-5565.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The CVE-2015-5551 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that persisted across multiple platform versions. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of use-after-free conditions, where memory that has been freed is still accessed by the application, creating potential exploitation opportunities for malicious actors. The flaw specifically affects Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.232 on Windows and OS X systems, and versions prior to 11.2.202.508 on Linux platforms, alongside affected Adobe AIR runtime versions and SDKs. The vulnerability's exploitation occurs through unspecified attack vectors that differ from several other contemporaneous Flash Player vulnerabilities, making it a distinct threat within the broader landscape of Flash-based exploits. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the inherent complexity of memory management in rich media environments where dynamic object allocation and deallocation create opportunities for attackers to manipulate application state.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2015-5551 leverages the fundamental principle of use-after-free conditions where an attacker can corrupt memory structures by accessing objects that have been freed from memory but still referenced by the application. In Flash Player environments, this typically occurs during object lifecycle management where objects are destroyed but their memory references remain accessible to subsequent operations. Attackers can manipulate the memory layout to redirect execution flow, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple operating systems and runtime environments indicates a systemic issue in how Flash Player handled object deallocation and memory management, particularly in the way it managed references to freed objects during complex rendering operations. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5551 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise potential, as demonstrated by its inclusion in the broader ATT&CK framework under techniques related to code injection and privilege escalation. The vulnerability's exploitation could enable attackers to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, and establish persistent access to compromised systems. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player and AIR were particularly vulnerable as these components were widely deployed across enterprise environments, making the attack surface substantial. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile Flash Player implementations meant that organizations could be compromised through multiple vectors including web browsing, email attachments, and even legitimate software installations that included Flash content. Security professionals noted that the vulnerability's exploitation often resulted in the installation of malware, remote access tools, and other malicious payloads that could persist across system reboots.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5551 centered on immediate patch deployment and comprehensive system hardening measures. Organizations were advised to update to patched versions of Adobe Flash Player and AIR runtime environments immediately, with special attention to the specific version numbers mentioned in the CVE description. The vulnerability's exploitation required careful memory manipulation and was often accompanied by other security controls that could be bypassed through targeted attacks. Network security teams implemented filtering measures to block Flash content from untrusted sources and deployed sandboxing technologies to limit the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrated how legacy software components could remain vulnerable even when other system components were properly secured. Organizations that delayed patching were particularly vulnerable to targeted attacks, as the exploitation techniques for use-after-free conditions often required specific memory layouts that could be predicted or manipulated by attackers. Security monitoring systems were enhanced to detect anomalous Flash Player behavior and memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, with many organizations implementing behavioral analysis tools to identify potential exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.