CVE-2015-8435 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-2015-8431, CVE-2015-8432, CVE-2015-8433, CVE-2015-8434, 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8435 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Adobe Flash Player and related software components that affects multiple platform versions across Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory locations that have already been freed, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code. The affected versions include Flash Player releases prior to 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x prior to 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X, as well as older Linux versions before 11.2.202.554, alongside Adobe AIR and AIR SDK versions before 20.0.0.204. The vulnerability operates through unspecified attack vectors that differ from numerous other related issues, indicating a distinct exploitation pathway that requires specific technical analysis.
This memory corruption vulnerability stems from improper handling of object references within Adobe's Flash Player runtime environment, where objects may be freed from memory while still being referenced by active code paths. The use-after-free condition creates a scenario where malicious actors can overwrite freed memory with crafted data, potentially leading to code execution with the privileges of the compromised Flash Player process. The technical implementation involves the interaction between the Flash Player's memory management system and external input processing, where unvalidated or improperly handled data can trigger the freeing of memory objects before all references are cleared. Such flaws are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited through web-based attacks, where users unknowingly visit compromised websites that deliver malicious Flash content designed to exploit this specific vulnerability.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8435 extends significantly across enterprise and individual security environments, as Flash Player was widely deployed across browsers and applications, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to target systems. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability through drive-by downloads or malicious web content that triggers the exploitation process when users view compromised web pages containing specially crafted Flash content. The vulnerability's presence across multiple operating systems and versions means that organizations needed to implement comprehensive patching strategies across their entire infrastructure, including web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile platforms that relied on Flash Player. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability exemplifies the challenges of maintaining secure software environments when dealing with legacy components that continue to receive widespread use despite known security issues.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8435 primarily involve immediate patch deployment and comprehensive system hardening measures to prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Adobe Flash Player installations to versions that contain the necessary memory management fixes and security patches. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that all platforms and applications that utilize Flash Player are properly updated, including mobile browsers and enterprise applications that may have embedded Flash components. Additional defensive measures include implementing browser security policies that restrict Flash content execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious Flash content, and utilizing endpoint protection solutions that can identify and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence feeds and implementing automated patch management systems to prevent similar issues from affecting other software components within the organization's attack surface. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring controls to detect potential exploitation attempts and limit the lateral movement of attackers who might successfully compromise systems through this vulnerability.