CVE-2015-5588 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-2015-5577, CVE-2015-5578, CVE-2015-5580, CVE-2015-5582, 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 on Windows and OS X, and before 11.2.202.521 on Linux, along with Adobe AIR versions before 19.0.0.190 and corresponding SDK 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 Flash Player flaws documented in 2015, specifically excluding CVE-2015-5575, CVE-2015-5577, CVE-2015-5578, CVE-2015-5580, CVE-2015-5582, and CVE-2015-6677, which indicates the flaw was not part of a known pattern of similar vulnerabilities. The memory corruption issue stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation within the Flash Player runtime environment, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted malicious content delivered via web browsers or applications that utilize Flash. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common entry points for memory corruption exploits. The technical nature of this flaw allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which typically runs with user-level permissions but can be leveraged for privilege escalation in certain scenarios. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to include denial of service conditions where system resources could be exhausted or corrupted, rendering the affected applications unusable. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as attackers could leverage the memory corruption to gain elevated privileges or execute malicious payloads. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Flash Player was widely deployed and often used to access web-based applications, making it a prime target for exploitation. Organizations should have implemented immediate patching strategies for all affected versions, while also considering the deployment of network-based protections and browser security measures to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with legacy Flash Player components and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches. Given the widespread use of Flash Player across multiple platforms, the potential attack surface was significant, requiring comprehensive security assessments and remediation efforts across affected systems. Security professionals should have prioritized this vulnerability in their risk assessment matrices due to its potential for remote code execution and the difficulty in detecting exploitation attempts. The flaw highlights the challenges of maintaining secure legacy software environments and the necessity of transitioning away from deprecated technologies like Flash Player to more secure modern alternatives.