CVE-2015-8058 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.554 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 20.0.0.204, Adobe AIR SDK before 20.0.0.204, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 20.0.0.204 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8048, CVE-2015-8049, CVE-2015-8050, CVE-2015-8055, CVE-2015-8056, CVE-2015-8057, CVE-2015-8059, CVE-2015-8061, CVE-2015-8062, CVE-2015-8063, CVE-2015-8064, CVE-2015-8065, CVE-2015-8066, CVE-2015-8067, CVE-2015-8068, CVE-2015-8069, CVE-2015-8070, CVE-2015-8071, CVE-2015-8401, CVE-2015-8402, CVE-2015-8403, CVE-2015-8404, CVE-2015-8405, CVE-2015-8406, CVE-2015-8410, CVE-2015-8411, CVE-2015-8412, CVE-2015-8413, CVE-2015-8414, CVE-2015-8420, CVE-2015-8421, CVE-2015-8422, CVE-2015-8423, CVE-2015-8424, CVE-2015-8425, CVE-2015-8426, CVE-2015-8427, CVE-2015-8428, CVE-2015-8429, CVE-2015-8430, CVE-2015-8431, CVE-2015-8432, CVE-2015-8433, CVE-2015-8434, CVE-2015-8435, CVE-2015-8436, CVE-2015-8437, CVE-2015-8441, CVE-2015-8442, CVE-2015-8447, CVE-2015-8448, CVE-2015-8449, CVE-2015-8450, CVE-2015-8452, and CVE-2015-8454.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2022
The CVE-2015-8058 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that emerged in 2015. This vulnerability specifically affects Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X platforms, as well as older versions on Linux systems. The flaw also extends to Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and their corresponding SDKs, making it a widespread issue across multiple Adobe products. The vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that differ from numerous other related CVEs, indicating a unique exploitation pathway that requires careful analysis. The underlying technical mechanism involves a classic use-after-free condition where memory that has been freed is still accessed by the application, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of "Use After Free" which is classified as a critical weakness in software security. The flaw manifests when Flash Player processes certain multimedia content or executes specific code sequences that trigger memory management issues. Attackers can exploit this condition by crafting malicious SWF files or web content that, when loaded by vulnerable Flash Player installations, causes the application to free memory resources while still maintaining references to them. The resulting memory corruption enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which typically runs with the same permissions as the user. This represents a significant elevation of privilege vulnerability that can be leveraged for complete system compromise when Flash Player is installed on target systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8058 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and persistent threat capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install malware, establish backdoors, or perform data exfiltration without user interaction, as the exploit can be delivered through web browsers or email attachments containing malicious Flash content. The vulnerability's presence in Adobe AIR and SDK components makes it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where these tools are commonly used for application development and deployment. The attack surface is extensive given Flash Player's widespread adoption across various platforms and the prevalence of Flash-based content in web applications. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be exploited in the wild, with reports of active exploitation campaigns targeting organizations and individuals.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8058 require immediate patching of affected Adobe products and implementation of additional security controls. Organizations should prioritize updating all instances of Flash Player, AIR, and SDK components to their latest secure versions, with particular attention to the specific version numbers mentioned in the vulnerability description. System administrators should consider disabling Flash Player entirely in environments where it is not required, as this eliminates the attack surface completely. Network security controls including web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help detect and block malicious Flash content before it reaches vulnerable systems. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK framework category T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" indicates that exploitation typically involves command execution and privilege elevation techniques. Security monitoring should focus on anomalous process creation, memory access patterns, and unexpected code execution events that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing sandboxing technologies and privilege separation mechanisms can help contain the impact of successful exploitation attempts and limit the damage that attackers can inflict on compromised systems.