CVE-2014-9163
Published: 10 December 2014
Summary
CVE-2014-9163 is a high-severity Stack-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-121) vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 12.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 CM-7 (Least Functionality) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2014-9163 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability, tracked under CWE-121, that affects Adobe Flash Player versions prior to 13.0.0.259, 14.x and 15.x prior to 15.0.0.246 on Windows and OS X, and prior to 11.2.202.425 on Linux. The flaw resides in the Flash Player component and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8, reflecting local attack vector, low attack complexity, required user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
An attacker can exploit the issue by supplying specially crafted content that triggers the overflow, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the affected system. The vulnerability was observed being exploited in the wild in December 2014, with the attack path relying on local access and user interaction such as opening a malicious file or visiting a compromised page that invokes Flash.
Adobe addressed the flaw in security bulletin APSB14-27, which details the updated Flash Player releases that remediate the buffer overflow. The vulnerability is also catalogued in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list, confirming active exploitation and underscoring the need for immediate application of the vendor patches on all supported platforms.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2014-8988
Vulnerability details
Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.259 and 14.x and 15.x before 15.0.0.246 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.425 on Linux allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in…
more
December 2014.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 13 April 2022
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires timely application of vendor patches that remediate the stack buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player.
Enforces disabling or removing Flash Player when not explicitly required, eliminating the attack surface for crafted malicious content.
Restricts or authorizes the use of mobile code such as Flash, blocking execution of the exploit-bearing SWF content.