CVE-2015-8431 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-2015-8428, CVE-2015-8429, CVE-2015-8430, 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-2015-8431 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR platforms that existed across multiple versions and operating systems. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been freed, creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution. The affected software versions include 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, as well as Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and corresponding SDK versions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to execute malicious code without requiring user interaction, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits in the cybersecurity landscape.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe's Flash Player runtime environment. When the application processes certain multimedia content or handles specific API calls, it fails to properly validate memory references, leading to situations where freed memory blocks are still accessed by subsequent operations. This memory corruption issue creates exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by attackers to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the Flash Player process. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves crafting specially crafted SWF files or web content that triggers the memory management flaw, causing the application to jump to attacker-controlled code. This technique aligns with common attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 category for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can execute arbitrary commands through the compromised Flash runtime.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8431 extends far beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to compromised systems. Once successfully exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to establish backdoors, download additional malware, steal sensitive data, or perform reconnaissance activities without detection. The widespread adoption of Adobe Flash Player across enterprise environments and web browsers made this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could affect a large number of systems simultaneously. Organizations running affected versions of Flash Player and AIR were at significant risk of compromise, with the vulnerability serving as an entry point for more sophisticated attack chains. The vulnerability's presence in multiple platform versions also meant that traditional security measures like application whitelisting were insufficient, as attackers could target any of the vulnerable configurations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8431 centered around immediate patching and system hardening measures. Organizations were advised to upgrade to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR that contained fixes for this vulnerability, specifically versions 18.0.0.268, 20.0.0.228, and 20.0.0.204 respectively. In addition to patching, security teams implemented various defensive measures including browser security configurations, network segmentation, and content filtering to prevent access to potentially malicious Flash content. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software across all systems, as the use-after-free nature of the flaw made it particularly difficult to detect through traditional signature-based security solutions. Security professionals also recommended implementing application control policies that restricted Flash Player execution in enterprise environments, particularly in high-security zones where the risk of exploitation was highest. The incident underscored the critical need for organizations to maintain comprehensive vulnerability management programs that could quickly respond to emerging threats like those found in the CVE-2015-8431 vulnerability.