CVE-2015-8428 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-2015-8424, CVE-2015-8425, CVE-2015-8426, CVE-2015-8427, 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-2015-8428 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that significantly impacts system security across multiple platforms. 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 as a memory corruption issue that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through unspecified attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where Flash Player remains widely deployed despite its declining support.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential code execution. This specific implementation flaw in Adobe's multimedia runtime creates a scenario where freed memory blocks can be reallocated and accessed by malicious code, enabling attackers to manipulate program execution flow and potentially gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability's classification aligns with the broader ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious payloads through compromised Flash content.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8428 extends across multiple attack surfaces given the widespread deployment of Adobe Flash Player in enterprise environments and web browsers. Organizations running affected versions face significant risk of remote code execution attacks that could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability's presence in both desktop and mobile versions of Adobe AIR further amplifies the attack surface, as it affects not only web-based attacks but also desktop application exploits. Security teams must consider that many organizations continue to use legacy Flash content in critical business applications, making this vulnerability particularly persistent and challenging to remediate.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8428 require immediate patch deployment across all affected Adobe Flash Player installations and related software components. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest supported versions of Adobe Flash Player, AIR, and SDKs, while also implementing network-based controls such as content filtering and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include comprehensive inventory management to identify all affected systems, as the vulnerability spans multiple product versions and operating systems. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing Flash-based vulnerabilities, given the complexity of analyzing and mitigating use-after-free exploits in multimedia runtime environments.