CVE-2015-8411 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-2015-8070, 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-2015-8412, 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 • 11/09/2024
The CVE-2015-8411 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that existed across multiple platform versions and release streams. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory corruption issues, specifically targeting the improper handling of memory objects that have already been freed, creating opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application. The vulnerability affects Adobe 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, while also impacting Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and corresponding SDK versions across all supported operating systems, including Linux environments where the affected version is before 11.2.202.554. This widespread impact across multiple Adobe products and operating systems demonstrates the severity and prevalence of the memory management flaw.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability stems from improper memory management practices within Adobe's Flash Player runtime environment, where objects are freed from memory but references to those objects persist in memory locations that may be reallocated for other purposes. When the application attempts to access these freed objects, it can trigger undefined behavior that attackers can potentially exploit to manipulate memory contents, redirect execution flow, or inject malicious code into the running process. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for code execution without requiring user interaction beyond the initial exploitation vector, making it suitable for drive-by download attacks that can compromise systems simply through web browsing activities. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a common attack pattern that appears frequently in software security assessments.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8411 extends far beyond individual system compromises, as it represents a significant threat vector for enterprise environments where Flash Player remains widely deployed for multimedia content delivery, web applications, and legacy system integration. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, and lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's exploitation capability places it within the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation typically involves executing malicious payloads through compromised Flash Player processes. Organizations with legacy systems that continue to rely on Flash Player for business-critical applications face particularly high risk, as these systems often lack regular patching cycles and may not have alternative solutions for multimedia content delivery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8411 primarily focus on immediate remediation through patching, as Adobe released security updates addressing this specific vulnerability across all affected versions of Flash Player, AIR, and related SDKs. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of patches to all affected systems, particularly those running older versions of Adobe's software products that remain in production environments. Additional defensive measures include implementing browser security policies that disable Flash Player content, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts, and establishing comprehensive patch management procedures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from accumulating in the environment. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls that restrict Flash Player execution to trusted domains and content sources, while maintaining detailed monitoring of system processes and memory usage patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing layered security approaches to protect against memory corruption vulnerabilities that can lead to complete system compromise.