CVE-2015-8654 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 (out-of-bounds read and memory corruption) via crafted MPEG-4 data, 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-2015-8443, CVE-2015-8444, CVE-2015-8451, CVE-2015-8455, CVE-2015-8652, CVE-2015-8656, CVE-2015-8657, CVE-2015-8658, and CVE-2015-8820.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
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, and before 11.2.202.554 on Linux, along with Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and related SDK versions, contained a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could be exploited through maliciously crafted MPEG-4 media data. This vulnerability represents a memory corruption flaw that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions on affected systems. The issue stems from improper bounds checking during the processing of MPEG-4 video content, specifically when Flash Player attempts to parse and decode malformed media files. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-129, which addresses insufficient bounds checking, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The out-of-bounds read occurs when the Flash Player's multimedia decoder encounters specially crafted MPEG-4 data that exceeds expected buffer boundaries, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution in the context of the running Flash Player process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to deliver malicious MPEG-4 content to a victim's system through various attack vectors including web browsers, email attachments, or compromised websites. When the vulnerable Flash Player processes this crafted media data, the improper bounds checking allows the decoder to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space, potentially causing the application to crash or allowing an attacker to inject and execute malicious code. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate program execution flow, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability is distinct from several other Flash Player vulnerabilities identified in 2015, specifically excluding CVE-2015-8045 through CVE-2015-8820, which indicates this represents a unique code path within the Flash Player multimedia processing subsystem. The impact is significant across multiple platforms including Windows, OS X, and Linux systems, making this a widespread concern for organizations relying on Flash Player for multimedia content delivery.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their systems from potential exploitation. The primary recommendation is to update to the patched versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR as soon as possible, with the specific versions mentioned in the CVE description providing the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level protections such as content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to reduce the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should disable Flash Player in web browsers where possible, as this represents a common attack vector for exploiting such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly critical to address promptly, as attackers could leverage this to establish persistent access to compromised systems. Security monitoring should focus on detecting attempts to access Flash Player components with malformed MPEG-4 data, and incident response procedures should be updated to include specific handling for this type of memory corruption vulnerability. The exploitation of this vulnerability through web-based attacks aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation, making comprehensive network security measures essential for protection against such threats.