CVE-2015-8070 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-2015-8067, CVE-2015-8068, CVE-2015-8069, 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 • 11/11/2024
The CVE-2015-8070 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that affected multiple versions across different operating systems. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues, specifically targeting the improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation processes within the Flash runtime environment. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to access memory that has already been freed, creating opportunities for malicious code execution through crafted payloads delivered via web browsers or other Flash-enabled applications. The vulnerability impacts Windows and macOS systems running affected Flash Player versions, as well as Linux systems with vulnerable Adobe AIR implementations, making it particularly dangerous due to its cross-platform nature and widespread software adoption.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability involves the exploitation of improper memory management practices within Adobe's Flash Player runtime. When processing certain multimedia content or handling specific API calls, the application allocates memory for objects but fails to properly track their lifecycle, leading to scenarios where freed memory locations are accessed again. This memory corruption pattern allows attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the application by controlling the contents of freed memory blocks, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's exploitation requires sophisticated techniques to leverage the memory corruption into reliable code execution, often involving heap spraying or other advanced exploitation methods that align with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8070 extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to encompass significant security risks for enterprise environments and individual users. Organizations relying on Flash Player for legacy applications or web content faced substantial exposure since the vulnerability could be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting compromised websites. The widespread adoption of Flash Player across different platforms meant that attackers could target multiple attack surfaces simultaneously, increasing the overall threat surface for organizations. This vulnerability particularly affected the security posture of users who had not yet migrated away from Flash-based content, as many organizations continued to rely on Flash for various applications, training materials, and internal tools, making the exploitation of such vulnerabilities particularly damaging.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8070 primarily focus on immediate software updates and system hardening measures. Adobe released patches for Flash Player versions 18.0.0.268, 19.x, and 20.x, along with corresponding updates for Adobe AIR and related SDK components, making timely patch deployment essential for protecting systems. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected software versions are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include browser security configurations, such as disabling Flash Player in web browsers, implementing content security policies, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious Flash content. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-416 indicates that proper memory management practices should be enforced through code review processes and static analysis tools to prevent similar issues in future development cycles, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and the principles outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Standards.