CVE-2015-8443 in Flash Player
Summary
by MITRE
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 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8045, CVE-2015-8047, CVE-2015-8060, CVE-2015-8408, CVE-2015-8416, CVE-2015-8417, CVE-2015-8418, CVE-2015-8419, CVE-2015-8444, CVE-2015-8451, and CVE-2015-8455.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2022
Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability affected multiple product versions across different operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, with specific version thresholds indicating the scope of impacted installations. The flaw manifested as a memory corruption issue that could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems or cause denial of service conditions through application crashes. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption flaw aligns with common attack patterns described in the attack tree framework and represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Flash content remains prevalent. Security researchers identified this issue as distinct from several other related vulnerabilities within the same timeframe, emphasizing its unique exploitation characteristics and attack surface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the Flash Player and AIR runtime components, which could be triggered through maliciously crafted Flash content delivered via web browsers or desktop applications. Attackers could leverage this weakness to manipulate memory structures and potentially gain control over affected systems through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption techniques. The attack surface extended beyond traditional web browsing to include desktop applications that utilize Adobe AIR for execution, creating multiple potential entry points for exploitation. This vulnerability directly relates to common CWE categories including CWE-121 for heap-based buffer overflow and CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions, which are frequently exploited in browser-based attacks. The exploitability of such vulnerabilities often follows patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution and privilege escalation domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial across enterprise environments where Adobe Flash remained widely deployed for multimedia content, web applications, and desktop software. Organizations faced potential compromise of user systems through drive-by downloads or malicious websites that leveraged the memory corruption flaw. The vulnerability's presence in both Flash Player and AIR runtime components meant that even applications not directly using Flash could be at risk if they relied on AIR for execution or contained embedded Flash content. Security teams needed to prioritize patch management efforts across multiple platforms and product lines, as the vulnerability affected different version branches simultaneously. The risk assessment for this vulnerability would have included consideration of the attack surface size, exploit availability, and the potential for widespread impact across different user groups and system configurations. Organizations typically needed to implement immediate patching strategies and potentially isolate vulnerable systems until remediation could be completed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability centered on immediate patch deployment through Adobe's security updates and regular system maintenance procedures. Organizations should have implemented network segmentation to limit exposure and reduced Flash content usage where possible, particularly in high-risk environments. Security monitoring systems needed to be updated to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous memory access patterns or unusual process behavior. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted Flash content. System administrators should have conducted comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected systems and prioritized remediation efforts based on risk exposure and system criticality. The incident underscored the necessity of maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence and security awareness programs to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other Adobe products and third-party applications. Regular security assessments and penetration testing became essential practices for identifying and addressing similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in legacy software components.