CVE-2015-8067 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-2015-8058, CVE-2015-8059, CVE-2015-8061, CVE-2015-8062, CVE-2015-8063, CVE-2015-8064, CVE-2015-8065, CVE-2015-8066, 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-2015-8067 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that has significant implications for system security. 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. Additionally, Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and corresponding SDK versions are also impacted. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management practices where freed memory locations are still being accessed by the application, creating a potential exploitation vector for malicious actors.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory conditions. This flaw occurs when the Flash Player application attempts to access memory that has already been deallocated, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the program's execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, effectively bypassing standard security measures. Attackers can leverage this condition to inject malicious payloads that may lead to complete system compromise, making it a prime target for exploit development.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial risks to organizations relying on Adobe Flash Player for web content delivery or desktop applications. The exploitation of CVE-2015-8067 can result in unauthorized code execution, data theft, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within network environments. Security analysts have noted that this vulnerability was frequently targeted in the wild, particularly in phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks where malicious Flash content would be embedded in compromised websites. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability means that organizations across different operating systems and deployment scenarios needed to implement immediate remediation measures.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of all affected systems to address this vulnerability, as the exploitation techniques for use-after-free conditions are well-documented and readily available in cybercriminal toolkits. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive inventory management to identify all instances of vulnerable Flash Player and AIR software across the enterprise environment. Additionally, implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional layers of defense. Security teams should also consider implementing browser sandboxing mechanisms and restricting Flash Player execution in web browsers where possible. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as a code injection technique underscores the need for robust application whitelisting and execution control policies. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that all endpoints remain protected against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that may be discovered in the future.