CVE-2015-8043 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 unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-7651, CVE-2015-7652, CVE-2015-7653, CVE-2015-7654, CVE-2015-7655, CVE-2015-7656, CVE-2015-7657, CVE-2015-7658, CVE-2015-7660, CVE-2015-7661, CVE-2015-7663, CVE-2015-8042, CVE-2015-8044, and CVE-2015-8046.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2025
The CVE-2015-8043 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments that affected multiple platform versions across Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. This vulnerability specifically impacts Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.261 and 19.x prior to 19.0.0.245 on Windows and OS X, while Linux versions were affected before 11.2.202.548. Additionally, Adobe AIR products including the runtime and SDK/Compiler components were vulnerable before version 19.0.0.241. The flaw stems from improper memory management where freed memory blocks are still referenced by the application, creating potential exploitation opportunities for malicious actors. This vulnerability operates independently from several other related issues including CVE-2015-7651 through CVE-2015-8046, indicating a distinct code path and attack surface that requires specific remediation measures.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability occurs when the Flash Player or AIR runtime fails to properly track memory allocation and deallocation patterns, leading to scenarios where memory that has been freed becomes accessible to subsequent operations. This condition creates a race window where an attacker can manipulate the application's memory state to cause the system to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running Flash process. The vulnerability typically manifests when processing malformed multimedia content or when interacting with specific API calls within the Flash runtime environment. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious SWF files or web content that triggers the specific memory management error, causing the application to dereference freed memory locations and execute malicious payload code. The exploitation process often involves heap spraying techniques combined with precise memory layout manipulation to ensure successful code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8043 extends across multiple threat vectors and attack surfaces within enterprise environments. Organizations running affected Adobe Flash Player versions face significant risk of remote code execution attacks that could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor access. The vulnerability affects both desktop and mobile platforms, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with diverse computing environments. Security researchers have identified this flaw as particularly dangerous due to its potential for zero-day exploitation and the widespread adoption of Flash Player across enterprise networks. The vulnerability's exploitation can bypass traditional security controls including antivirus solutions and network firewalls, as it operates within the legitimate application execution context. Additionally, the cross-platform nature of this vulnerability means that organizations cannot rely on platform-specific mitigations, requiring comprehensive patch management across all supported operating systems and runtime environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8043 focus on immediate remediation through official Adobe security patches and comprehensive security monitoring. Organizations should prioritize patching all affected Flash Player and AIR runtime installations across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, ensuring that the latest versions are deployed to all endpoints. The remediation process should include verification of patch installation through automated inventory management systems to confirm complete coverage across the enterprise environment. Additional protective measures include implementing network-based restrictions to block Flash content delivery, deploying application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted Flash content, and configuring browser security settings to disable Flash plugin execution. Security teams should also implement behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications, and represents a critical threat vector in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution and privilege escalation categories. Organizations should also consider implementing layered security controls including endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain continuous monitoring of affected systems.