Cyber Resilience

CVE-2014-0502

Memory Safety in Adobe Flash Player ≤ 11.7.700.269

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCMemory Safety
Published
21 February 2014
Modified
21 April 2026
KEV Added
17 September 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.24 98th percentile
Risk Priority 90 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2014-0502 is a high-severity Double Free (CWE-415) vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked in the top 2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

The vulnerability is a double free flaw (CWE-415) present in Adobe Flash Player versions before 11.7.700.269 and 11.8.x through 12.0.x before 12.0.0.70 on Windows and Mac OS X, before 11.2.202.341 on Linux, Adobe AIR before 4.0.0.1628 on Android, and the corresponding AIR SDK and Compiler packages before 4.0.0.1628. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8.

Remote attackers can exploit the issue via unspecified vectors to achieve arbitrary code execution on affected systems. The vulnerability was exploited in the wild in February 2014 and requires user interaction such as visiting a malicious page or opening a crafted document.

Adobe's APSB14-07 bulletin and related distribution advisories (openSUSE, Red Hat) recommend immediate upgrade to the fixed versions listed above. No other mitigations such as configuration changes are specified in the references.

The flaw saw active exploitation shortly after disclosure, underscoring the need for rapid patching of Flash and AIR installations.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

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…

more

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.

CWE(s)
KEV Date Added
17 September 2024

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
T1499 Endpoint Denial of Service Impact
Adversaries may perform Endpoint Denial of Service (DoS) attacks to degrade or block the availability of services to users.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2014-0497Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2012-2034Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2015-5119Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2013-0641Same product: Apple Mac Os Xboth on KEV
CVE-2013-0640Same product: Apple Mac Os Xboth on KEV
CVE-2013-0643Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2013-0648Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2018-4990Same product: Apple Mac Os Xboth on KEV
CVE-2012-1535Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV
CVE-2015-5123Same product: Adobe Flash Playerboth on KEV

Affected Assets

adobe
flash player
≤ 11.7.700.269 · 11.8.800.94 — 12.0.0.70 · ≤ 11.2.202.341
adobe
adobe air sdk
≤ 4.0.0.1628
adobe
adobe air
≤ 4.0.0.1628
opensuse
opensuse
11.4, 12.3, 13.1
suse
linux enterprise desktop
11
redhat
enterprise linux desktop
5.0, 6.0
redhat
enterprise linux eus
6.5
redhat
enterprise linux server
5.0, 6.0
redhat
enterprise linux server aus
6.5
redhat
enterprise linux workstation
5.0, 6.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly prevent double-free errors via static analysis, safe memory APIs, and testing.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development can detect double-free conditions before release.

prevents

Secure development life cycle includes memory-safety practices that can prevent double-free bugs.

prevents

Application security requirements can mandate memory-safety rules that reduce double-free risk.

prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles can prescribe safe memory-management patterns.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly address proper use of free() and similar functions.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248590 OL 8 must clear the page allocator to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-415

References