CVE-2015-8424 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-2015-8422, CVE-2015-8423, 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-2015-8424 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that existed across multiple platform versions and deployment scenarios. This vulnerability specifically 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 systems, as well as Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and corresponding SDK versions. The flaw manifests in the way the software handles memory management during object lifecycle operations, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit memory corruption conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that distinguish it from numerous other related vulnerabilities within the same timeframe, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability occurs when the Flash Player software attempts to access memory that has already been freed or deallocated, creating a scenario where attacker-controlled data can be manipulated to overwrite critical memory locations. This memory management error follows the common pattern described by CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software systems. The flaw allows malicious actors to craft specially designed content that triggers the vulnerable code path, causing the application to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the Flash Player. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Flash Player was widely deployed across web browsers and applications, making the exploitation potential significant across various user environments and system configurations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations and individual users who have not updated their Adobe software installations. The exploitation of CVE-2015-8424 can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within affected systems. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile platforms, particularly given the widespread adoption of Adobe AIR for cross-platform applications, increases the potential impact significantly. Security analysts have documented this vulnerability as part of the broader ATT&CK framework under techniques related to privilege escalation and code injection, where adversaries leverage memory corruption flaws to gain elevated system access and execute malicious payloads with system-level privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8424 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and software updates to the latest available versions of Adobe Flash Player, AIR, and their corresponding SDKs. Organizations should implement comprehensive software inventory management to identify all systems running vulnerable versions and prioritize patching activities accordingly. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide additional protection by blocking known malicious Flash content, though these measures are not foolproof given the sophisticated nature of modern exploitation techniques. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual memory access patterns and potential exploitation attempts, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to block Flash Player execution in untrusted environments. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of transitioning away from deprecated technologies like Flash Player, as Adobe officially discontinued support for Flash in 2020, leaving systems vulnerable to such legacy flaws that continue to be exploited in targeted attacks.