Adobe Flash Player DisplayObject Use-After-Free Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2015-5122)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTAdobe Flash Player 13.x through 13.0.0.302, 14.x through 18.0.0.203 on Windows/OS X, and 11.x/12.x on Linux
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted Flash content
Since Adobe Flash Player has reached End-of-Life (EOL), completely uninstall Flash Player and transition to modern web standards like HTML5
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Adobe Flash Player is officially End-of-Life (EOL) and no longer receives security updates. The only secure remediation is to completely uninstall Flash Player from all systems. Use the following PowerShell command to locate and uninstall Flash Player on Windows systems:
# PowerShell script to detect and uninstall Flash Player components
$flashApps = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like '*Flash Player*' }
foreach ($app in $flashApps) {
Write-Output 'Uninstalling: $($app.Name)'
$app.Uninstall()
}2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If legacy systems cannot immediately remove Flash, restrict the execution of SWF files at the network or web server level. Below is an Nginx configuration snippet to block client requests for Flash assets:
# Block SWF and Flash-related requests in Nginx configuration
server {
listen 80;
server_name enterprise-internal.local;
# Deny access to Flash files
location ~* \.(swf|spl)$ {
deny all;
return 403;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Run the following Bash script on Linux endpoints to scan for residual Flash Player shared libraries that may pose a security risk:
#!/bin/bash
# Scan for legacy Flash Player shared libraries on Linux systems
echo 'Scanning for legacy Flash Player binaries...'
find /usr/lib /usr/lib64 /opt -type f -name '*libflashplayer.so*' 2>/dev/null | while read -r filepath; do
echo '[ALERT] Vulnerable Flash binary detected at: '$filepath''
doneBlock Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2015-5122) is a critical Use-After-Free (UAF) flaw within the DisplayObject class of the ActionScript 3 (AS3) engine in Adobe Flash Player. The root cause lies in the improper memory management of the opaqueBackground property. When this property is manipulated under specific conditions, the underlying memory allocated for the DisplayObject is freed prematurely, leaving a dangling pointer that can be subsequently accessed.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by hosting a specially crafted SWF file on a malicious website or distributing it via phishing emails. When a victim loads the Flash content, the AS3 script triggers the deallocation of the DisplayObject while retaining its reference. The attacker then performs heap spraying or memory grooming to occupy the freed memory space with controlled payloads. When the application attempts to reuse the object via the dangling pointer, control flow is redirected to the attacker's shellcode, leading to arbitrary code execution.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With a CVSS score of 9.8 and active exploitation history in the wild (CISA KEV listed), this vulnerability poses an extreme risk to enterprise endpoints. Successful exploitation allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access, execute system-level commands, and establish a foothold within the corporate network, potentially leading to lateral movement, data exfiltration, or ransomware deployment.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Use-after-free vulnerability in the DisplayObject class in the ActionScript 3 (AS3) implementation in Adobe Flash Player 13.x through 13.0.0.302 on Windows and OS X, 14.x through 18.0.0.203 on Windows and OS X, 11.x through 11.2.202.481 on Linux, and 12.x through 18.0.0.204 on Linux Chrome installations allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted Flash content that leverages improper handling of the opaqueBackground property, as exploited in the wild in July 2015.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2015-5122)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2015-5122 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2015-5122 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 87.0%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2015-5122?
Primary impacted vendors include adobe across flash_player. Scope summary: Windows & OS X: Flash Player 13.x to 13.0.0.302, 14.x to 18.0.0.203 | Linux: 11.x to 11.2.202.481, Chrome 12.x to 18.0.0.204
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2015-5122 before patching?
[Mitigation] Since Adobe Flash Player has reached End-of-Life (EOL), completely uninstall Flash Player and transition to modern web standards like HTML5 Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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