CVE-2015-8422 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-2015-8413, CVE-2015-8414, CVE-2015-8420, CVE-2015-8421, 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 • 11/10/2024
The CVE-2015-8422 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related technologies that significantly impacts system security across multiple platforms. This vulnerability 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, as well as older versions on Linux systems. Additionally, Adobe AIR and AIR SDK versions before 20.0.0.204 are also susceptible to this vulnerability, making it a widespread concern across the Adobe ecosystem. The flaw stems from improper memory management where freed memory blocks are still referenced by the application, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow and potentially gain unauthorized system access. This particular vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that distinguish it from other related issues in the same timeframe, specifically excluding the numerous other CVE identifiers mentioned in the description. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software development where memory is accessed after it has been freed, representing one of the most dangerous types of memory corruption vulnerabilities. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to enterprise environments where Flash Player remains widely deployed, particularly in legacy applications and web browsers that continue to support Flash content. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Flash Player was commonly used in enterprise environments for rich internet applications, multimedia content, and business-critical web interactions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user systems to entire organizational networks, as exploitation could enable attackers to move laterally through compromised systems. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1059 technique for command and script interpreter, where attackers could leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to deploy additional malware or establish persistent access. Organizations must prioritize patch management and remediation efforts, as the vulnerability affects multiple product lines including Flash Player, AIR, and AIR SDK components. The remediation process requires careful coordination across different software versions and platforms, with particular attention to ensuring that all affected systems receive updates, including the specific version numbers mentioned in the advisory. Legacy systems that cannot be immediately updated should implement network segmentation and application whitelisting to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in maintaining secure multimedia and web application platforms, particularly when dealing with complex software ecosystems that span multiple operating systems and deployment scenarios. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious Flash Player activity and network traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, as the use-after-free nature of this vulnerability makes it particularly difficult to detect through traditional security controls.