CVE-2015-5577 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.241 and 19.x before 19.0.0.185 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.521 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 19.0.0.190, Adobe AIR SDK before 19.0.0.190, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 19.0.0.190 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5575, CVE-2015-5578, CVE-2015-5580, CVE-2015-5582, CVE-2015-5588, and CVE-2015-6677.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2022
Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.241 for Windows and OS X, 19.x versions before 19.0.0.185 for the same platforms, and 11.2.202.521 for Linux, along with Adobe AIR versions before 19.0.0.190 including the corresponding SDK and Compiler versions, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability represents a distinct issue from several other related CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a complex attack surface within the Flash Player runtime environment. The unspecified vectors through which attackers could exploit this memory corruption flaw suggest that the vulnerability likely stemmed from improper memory management or buffer handling within the Flash Player's ActionScript execution engine. The vulnerability classification aligns with common CWE categories such as CWE-125 out-of-bounds read and CWE-787 out-of-bounds write, which are typical in memory corruption flaws. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, or cause denial of service by triggering memory corruption that would crash the Flash Player process. The cross-platform nature of this vulnerability across Windows, OS X, and Linux operating systems demonstrates the widespread impact potential, as the underlying memory management issues were present in the core Flash Player runtime regardless of the host operating system. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed, as it could be exploited through web browsers or other applications that embed the Flash runtime. The exploitation of such memory corruption vulnerabilities typically follows ATT&CK techniques categorized under T1059 command and scripting interpreter and T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers would craft malicious Flash content to trigger the memory corruption and gain remote code execution capabilities. Organizations should have implemented immediate patching procedures to address this vulnerability, as the timeframe between vulnerability disclosure and exploitation by threat actors typically ranges from days to weeks. The lack of specific vector details in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability may have been present in multiple code paths within the Flash Player runtime, making it particularly challenging to defend against through traditional perimeter security measures. Security professionals needed to monitor for indicators of compromise related to Flash Player memory corruption, including unusual process behavior, memory dumps, and network traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts. This vulnerability also highlighted the importance of application sandboxing and memory protection mechanisms, as the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to bypass operating system security features. The patching process for this vulnerability required careful testing due to the widespread use of Flash Player across various applications and the potential for compatibility issues with existing Flash content. Organizations should have prioritized this vulnerability in their vulnerability management programs, as memory corruption flaws often represent high-severity threats due to their potential for remote code execution. The remediation efforts for this specific vulnerability also underscored the broader challenges associated with legacy software support and the need for organizations to maintain comprehensive software inventory and patch management processes. The vulnerability's existence in multiple product lines including Flash Player, AIR, and SDK components demonstrates the complexity of managing security patches across integrated software ecosystems. Security teams needed to implement network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and ensure that all endpoints were properly updated, as the vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including web browsers, email attachments, and malicious websites. The technical analysis of this vulnerability should have included memory forensic examination to understand the exact memory corruption patterns and develop appropriate detection signatures. This particular vulnerability exemplifies the risks associated with rich internet application platforms and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for all software components that execute untrusted code.