CVE-2015-8657 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-2015-8654, CVE-2015-8656, 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 platforms, along with Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and corresponding SDK versions, contained a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability in their MPEG-4 video processing implementation. This vulnerability specifically manifested when handling crafted MPEG-4 data streams, allowing attackers to trigger memory corruption conditions that could result in arbitrary code execution or denial of service. The flaw was categorized as a memory safety issue affecting the Flash Player's multimedia handling capabilities, with the vulnerability being distinct from several other related issues documented in the same timeframe. The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and represents a classic memory corruption vulnerability that can be exploited through improper input validation of multimedia data formats. The attack vector involved delivering malicious MPEG-4 content through web browsers or applications that utilized Flash Player, making it particularly dangerous in web-based environments where users might encounter such content unexpectedly.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8657 was significant due to the widespread deployment of Adobe Flash Player across enterprise and consumer environments, particularly on Windows and OS X platforms. The vulnerability could be exploited remotely through web browsers without requiring any additional user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a compromised document. Attackers could leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Flash Player process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The out-of-bounds read condition created memory corruption that could be manipulated to overwrite critical memory locations, enabling code execution in the context of the vulnerable application. This vulnerability was particularly concerning because Flash Player was commonly used in enterprise environments and was often enabled by default in web browsers, creating a broad attack surface. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability could also be exploited to disrupt legitimate user sessions or cause applications to crash repeatedly, impacting availability and productivity in affected organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8657 focused primarily on immediate patching and remediation activities across affected platforms. Organizations were strongly advised to update to the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR, specifically versions 18.0.0.268 and 20.0.0.228 for Flash Player, and 20.0.0.204 for AIR and related SDKs. System administrators should have implemented network-based controls to block Flash content delivery where possible, particularly for untrusted websites or content sources. Browser security configurations were recommended to disable Flash Player plugins or set them to run in sandboxed environments to limit potential damage from exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK framework as a code injection technique through malicious multimedia content highlighted the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response procedures. Additionally, organizations should have conducted vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected versions and prioritized remediation efforts based on risk exposure and system criticality. Security teams were advised to monitor for exploitation attempts in network logs and implement proper endpoint detection and response capabilities to identify potential exploitation of this vulnerability in their environments.