CVE-2015-8658 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 (uninitialized pointer dereference 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-2015-8657, and CVE-2015-8820.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2022
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 related SDK versions, contained a critical vulnerability in their MPEG-4 video handling implementation that could be exploited to achieve remote code execution or system denial of service. This vulnerability specifically manifested through uninitialized pointer dereference and memory corruption issues when processing crafted MPEG-4 data streams, distinguishing it from other related vulnerabilities within the same timeframe such as CVE-2015-8045 through CVE-2015-8820. The flaw originated from insufficient input validation and memory management within the Flash Player's multimedia processing components, creating opportunities for attackers to craft malicious video content that would trigger memory corruption when parsed by the vulnerable software. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which describes null pointer dereference conditions, and represents a classic example of memory safety issues in legacy software systems. The attack surface was particularly broad as Flash Player was widely deployed across multiple operating systems including Windows and macOS, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where Flash content was commonly used. When exploited, the vulnerability could lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the Flash Player process, potentially allowing attackers to bypass system security controls and execute malicious payloads on target systems. The memory corruption aspects of this vulnerability could also result in denial of service conditions where the Flash Player application would crash or become unstable, disrupting legitimate user activities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving privilege escalation and code injection, as attackers could leverage the memory corruption to gain elevated privileges or inject malicious code into the target system. The vulnerability's exploitation required crafting specific MPEG-4 data structures that would trigger the uninitialized pointer dereference during video parsing, making it a sophisticated attack vector that required careful payload construction. Organizations were advised to immediately update to patched versions of Adobe Flash Player, AIR, and related SDK components to mitigate this risk, as the vulnerability had a high potential for being weaponized in real-world attacks. The issue highlighted the ongoing security challenges associated with legacy multimedia frameworks and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components in enterprise security postures. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability was particularly concerning due to Flash Player's widespread deployment and the difficulty of completely eliminating Flash content from enterprise environments. The patching process required careful coordination across different platforms and software versions, as the vulnerability affected multiple release streams within Adobe's product portfolio. This vulnerability served as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia processing components, particularly when handling complex file formats like MPEG-4 that require extensive parsing and memory allocation operations.