CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2014-0502Exploited in the wildNVD status: Analyzed

Adobe Flash Player Double Free Vulnerablity

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2014-0502 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in flash_player from Adobe, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. The record lists versions 11.7.700.269, 12.0.0.70 as the first without the flaw, so updating flash_player to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on September 17, 2024, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.

Patch now

Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.

What to do

  1. Update flash_player to 11.7.700.269 or 12.0.0.70, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update air to 4.0.0.1628 or a later version.
  3. Update air_sdk to 4.0.0.1628 or a later version.
  4. CISA's required action: The impacted product is end-of-life (EoL) and/or end-of-service (EoS). Users should discontinue utilization of the product.
  5. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
  6. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Adobeflash_playerbefore 11.7.700.269; 11.8.0 up to, but not including, 12.0.0.7011.7.700.269, 12.0.0.70
Adobeairbefore 4.0.0.16284.0.0.1628
Adobeair_sdkbefore 4.0.0.16284.0.0.1628
AdobeAdobe Air SDKbefore 4.0.0.16284.0.0.1628
AdobeAdobe Airbefore 4.0.0.16284.0.0.1628
openSUSEOpensuse11.4; 12.3; 13.1Not stated
SUSELinux Enterprise Desktop11Not stated
Red HatEnterprise Linux Desktop5.0; 6.0Not stated
Red HatEnterprise Linux EUS6.5Not stated
Red HatEnterprise Linux Server5.0; 6.0Not stated
Red HatEnterprise Linux Server AUS6.5Not stated
Red HatEnterprise Linux Workstation5.0; 6.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
RequiredA user must take an action such as opening a file or link.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD
CVSS 3.18.8HighCISA (ADP)
CVSS 2.010.0HighNVD

Official description

Double free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 11.7.700.269 and 11.8.x through 12.0.x before 12.0.0.70 on Windows and Mac OS X and before 11.2.202.341 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 4.0.0.1628 on Android, Adobe AIR SDK before 4.0.0.1628, and Adobe AIR SDK & Compiler before 4.0.0.1628 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in February 2014.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Double Free

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
  • Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
  • Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.

More Double Free vulnerabilities (CWE-415)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
  3. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  4. Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
  5. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in flash_player

All flash_player vulnerabilities

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