CVE-2015-7655 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.261 and 19.x before 19.0.0.245 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.548 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 19.0.0.241, Adobe AIR SDK before 19.0.0.241, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 19.0.0.241 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted actionExtends arguments, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-7651, CVE-2015-7652, CVE-2015-7653, CVE-2015-7654, CVE-2015-7656, CVE-2015-7657, CVE-2015-7658, CVE-2015-7660, CVE-2015-7661, CVE-2015-7663, CVE-2015-8042, CVE-2015-8043, CVE-2015-8044, and CVE-2015-8046.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2022
The CVE-2015-7655 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that was actively exploited in the wild during 2015. This vulnerability specifically affects multiple versions of Adobe Flash Player including those before 18.0.0.261 and 19.x before 19.0.0.245 on Windows and OS X platforms, and before 11.2.202.548 on Linux systems. Additionally, Adobe AIR products before version 19.0.0.241 were also impacted, including the Adobe AIR SDK and Compiler components. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management when processing crafted actionExtends arguments within the Flash Player runtime, making it a prime target for sophisticated attackers seeking to leverage memory corruption exploits. This flaw is classified under CWE-416 as a Use After Free vulnerability, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the freed memory location for malicious purposes.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2015-7655 involves attackers crafting specially designed actionExtends arguments that trigger a memory management error during Flash Player execution. When the Flash Player processes these malformed arguments, it creates a scenario where memory allocated to a specific object is freed but not properly invalidated, leaving the memory location accessible for reuse. Attackers can then manipulate this freed memory through subsequent operations to overwrite critical data structures or execute arbitrary code within the context of the Flash Player process. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for privilege escalation and code execution without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a compromised file. The exploitation technique aligns with ATT&CK tactics including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a significant threat vector in enterprise environments where Flash Player remains in use.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that has been actively weaponized in the cybersecurity landscape. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player or AIR were at high risk of compromise, particularly in environments where users frequently visited untrusted websites or opened email attachments. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple operating systems and Adobe products meant that traditional security controls were insufficient to prevent exploitation, requiring comprehensive patch management and application whitelisting strategies. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability was part of a broader exploitation campaign targeting enterprise networks, with indicators of compromise showing the use of zero-day exploits in targeted attacks against financial institutions and government agencies. The vulnerability's exploitation often resulted in the installation of additional malware payloads, including information stealers and backdoors, making it a critical component in multi-stage attack campaigns. Organizations implementing effective security measures required immediate patch deployment, browser hardening, and network segmentation to prevent lateral movement and maintain operational security posture against this and related vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7655 primarily focused on immediate patch deployment and runtime environment hardening. Organizations were advised to upgrade to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR products as soon as possible, with the specific versions mentioned in the advisory being 18.0.0.261, 19.0.0.245, and 19.0.0.241 respectively. Beyond patching, security teams implemented browser security controls including disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing application control policies to restrict Flash Player execution, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered defense strategies that reduce attack surface areas. Security professionals also emphasized the need for regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and remediate similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in other software components. Organizations that had already begun transitioning away from Flash Player due to its inherent security risks found themselves better positioned to defend against this particular vulnerability, as the removal of Flash Player from their environments eliminated the attack surface entirely. The incident underscored the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing robust application lifecycle security practices to prevent exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities.