Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free
CVE-2015-0313 is a critical-severity use after free vulnerability in Flash Player from Adobe, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 11.2.202.442, 13.0.0.269, 16.0.0.305 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 April 13, 2022, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update Flash Player to 11.2.202.442 or 13.0.0.269 or 16.0.0.305, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: The impacted product is end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use.
- Read the advisory on helpx.adobe.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | Flash Player | before 11.2.202.442; before 13.0.0.269; 14.0.0.125 up to, but not including, 16.0.0.305 | 11.2.202.442, 13.0.0.269, 16.0.0.305 |
| openSUSE | Evergreen | 11.4 | Not stated |
| openSUSE | Opensuse | 13.1; 13.2 | Not stated |
| SUSE | Linux Enterprise Desktop | 11; 12 | Not stated |
| SUSE | Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension | 12 | Not stated |
| Microsoft | Internet Explorer | 10; 11 | Not stated |
| Microsoft | Edge | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
Version data comes from NVD's product matching. 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
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- 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:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 10.0 | High | NVD |
Official description
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.269 and 14.x through 16.x before 16.0.0.305 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.442 on Linux allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in February 2015, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0315, CVE-2015-0320, and CVE-2015-0322.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-02/msg00006.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-02/msg00007.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-02/msg00008.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-02/msg00009.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/100641Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2015-0313US Government Resource
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/131189/Adobe-Flash-Player-ByteArray-With-Workers-Use-After-Free.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- exploit-db.com/exploits/36579/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
Other references
- github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/issues/196Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in Flash Player
- 7.8 High severity
Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free Exploited
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free Exploited
- 8.8 High severity
Adobe Flash Player Type Confusion Exploited
- 8.8 High severity
Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free Exploited
- 8.8 High severity
Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free Exploited
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 10.0 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 10.0 High severity
Adobe Reader and Acrobat Use-After-Free Exploited
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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