CVE-2015-7632 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.252 and 19.x before 19.0.0.207 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.535 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 19.0.0.213, Adobe AIR SDK before 19.0.0.213, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 19.0.0.213 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a Loader object with a crafted loaderBytes property.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7632 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that affected multiple operating systems including Windows, OS X, and Linux. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of the Loader object's loaderBytes property, creating a condition where attackers can manipulate memory allocation and execution flow. The flaw exists in versions prior to specific patches including Flash Player 18.0.0.252 and 19.x versions before 19.0.0.207, as well as Adobe AIR versions before 19.0.0.213. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which directly maps to the classic memory corruption attack patterns that have historically enabled remote code execution exploits.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious SWF file is loaded into a vulnerable Flash Player or AIR environment, specifically targeting the Loader object's loaderBytes property which controls how binary data is processed and loaded into memory. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload with oversized or malformed loaderBytes data, the application fails to properly validate the input size against allocated buffer boundaries, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite critical execution pointers or return addresses. This type of memory corruption directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation typically results in arbitrary code execution within the context of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because Flash Player was widely deployed across enterprise environments and end-user systems, making it an attractive target for zero-day exploitation campaigns.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7632 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise capabilities, as the vulnerable environment typically runs with elevated privileges when executing Flash content. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially gain complete control over affected systems, establish persistent backdoors, or deploy additional malware payloads through the compromised Flash runtime environment. The cross-platform nature of this vulnerability means that organizations running multiple operating systems were all at risk, with the Linux variant requiring specific version checks against the 11.2.202.535 threshold. Security researchers noted that this vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it suitable for drive-by download campaigns that were commonly observed in the wild during the period when this vulnerability was actively exploited. The vulnerability's exploitation also demonstrated the inherent risks of legacy Flash runtime environments that continued to receive updates long after the technology's decline, as the attack surface remained relevant even as Flash adoption decreased across the industry.
Organizations affected by CVE-2015-7632 should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory patching of all affected Flash Player and AIR installations to their respective secure versions, along with network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SWF content. System administrators should also consider disabling Flash Player entirely through group policy controls or browser plugins, as recommended by the cybersecurity community and aligned with ATT&CK tactic T1071.004 for application layer protocols. Additional mitigations include implementing strict content security policies that prevent loading of untrusted Flash content and monitoring network traffic for suspicious SWF file transfers. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date runtime environments and the risks associated with legacy software components that continue to operate in production environments despite known security issues. Organizations should also implement comprehensive vulnerability management programs that include regular assessment of all installed runtime environments, including Flash Player, Java, and other legacy technologies that may present similar attack vectors.