CVE-2015-8413 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-2015-8411, CVE-2015-8412, 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-2015-8413 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that existed across multiple platform versions and release channels. This vulnerability specifically affects Flash Player versions prior to 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x prior to 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X platforms, as well as older Linux versions before 11.2.202.554. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204, including the Adobe AIR SDK and Compiler versions. The flaw manifests as a memory management error where the application continues to reference memory locations after they have been freed, creating a potential exploitation vector for remote code execution. This vulnerability operates independently from numerous other related issues within the same timeframe, indicating a distinct code path or implementation flaw that requires specific remediation approaches.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability stems from improper memory management practices within Adobe's Flash Player runtime environment. When certain objects are destroyed or their memory is deallocated, the application fails to properly nullify references to these freed memory locations. Attackers can exploit this condition by crafting malicious SWF files or web content that triggers the specific code path leading to the vulnerable memory operations. The exploitation process typically involves manipulating the application's memory layout to ensure that freed memory is reallocated with attacker-controlled data, enabling the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a fundamental flaw in memory management that has been consistently exploited in various attack scenarios throughout the history of web browser security.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8413 extends across multiple attack surfaces and user environments, making it particularly dangerous for organizations and individual users. The vulnerability's presence in both Flash Player and AIR runtime environments means that successful exploitation could occur through web browsers, desktop applications, or mobile platforms that utilize Adobe's runtime components. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could potentially execute malicious code on target systems, gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within network environments. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability, affecting Windows, OS X, and Linux systems, increases its attack surface significantly. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which describes the use of scripting languages for execution, and T1203, which involves legitimate user execution to establish persistence. The vulnerability's exploitation typically requires user interaction through web browsing or application execution, making social engineering aspects of phishing attacks particularly relevant for successful exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8413 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor patches released by Adobe, specifically updating Flash Player to version 18.0.0.268 or later, and AIR to version 20.0.0.204 or later, across all supported platforms. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all systems. Network-based defenses should include web application firewalls and content filtering systems that can detect and block malicious SWF content. Browser security enhancements such as sandboxing, privilege separation, and automatic updates should be enabled to minimize the attack surface. Security monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining updated software inventories and implementing security controls that align with industry standards such as NIST SP 800-128 for mobile device security and ISO 27001 for information security management. Organizations should also consider implementing zero-trust network architectures that limit the impact of potential compromises through network segmentation and access controls that prevent lateral movement within compromised environments.