CVE-2015-8822 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 crafted MPEG-4 data, 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-2015-8435, 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, CVE-2015-8454, CVE-2015-8653, CVE-2015-8655, and CVE-2015-8821.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8822 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player and related software components that affects multiple operating systems and versions. This vulnerability specifically manifests when processing crafted MPEG-4 data, creating a scenario where memory that has been freed is still accessed by the application, leading to potential code execution. The issue impacts 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, while also affecting Adobe AIR versions before 20.0.0.204 and related SDK components. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 as a use-after-free condition, which represents a well-known class of memory safety issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution when exploited by malicious actors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of MPEG-4 data streams that Flash Player processes during media playback operations. When the player encounters malformed or specially crafted MPEG-4 content, it fails to properly validate the data structures before accessing memory that has already been freed, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to inject and execute malicious code. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through web-based attacks, where users unknowingly visit compromised websites or click on malicious links that deliver the crafted MPEG-4 content. The exploitation process typically involves memory corruption techniques that leverage the freed memory location to redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code, making this vulnerability a significant threat in the context of browser-based attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8822 extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to encompass broader security implications for enterprise environments and individual users. Organizations running affected versions of Adobe Flash Player or AIR software face increased risk of compromise through drive-by download attacks, where malicious actors can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to systems. The vulnerability's presence across multiple platforms including Windows, OS X, and Linux creates a wide attack surface, while the inclusion of Adobe AIR and SDK components extends the threat to developers and application creators who may unknowingly package vulnerable components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving exploitation of known vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, as the successful exploitation typically results in code execution with the privileges of the Flash Player process, which often runs with elevated permissions in many environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8822 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by Adobe, which address the underlying memory management issues in the affected components. Organizations should prioritize updating all instances of Adobe Flash Player, AIR, and related SDK components to versions that contain the necessary security fixes, with particular attention to the specific version thresholds mentioned in the vulnerability description. Network-based defenses can include filtering of MPEG-4 content and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious content patterns, though these measures are considered temporary mitigations while full patch deployment occurs. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms and monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, as well as conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all potentially affected systems within their environments. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing robust patch management processes to protect against known security flaws.