CVE-2014-0515: Adobe Flash Player buffer overflow allows remote code execution

Automated analysis

Generated by VULONE's analysis model from the NVD record, CISA KEV and EPSS data on 18 September 2026. Confidence: high.

critical priorityCVSS 2.0 score of 10, active in-the-wild exploitation reported, and extremely high EPSS probability make this a critical risk for any unpatched system.

What it is

Adobe Flash Player contains a buffer overflow (CWE-119) that can be triggered by unspecified vectors, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The flaw affects Flash Player before 11.7.700.279 and 11.8.x through 13.0.x before 13.0.0.206 on Windows and OS X, and before 11.2.202.356 on Linux. It was exploited in the wild in April 2014, making it a high-risk issue for unpatched systems.

Impact

An attacker can execute arbitrary code in the context of the affected Flash Player process, potentially leading to full system compromise. Given the CVSS 2.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C), the impact is complete loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Attack surface

The vulnerability is reachable over the network (AV:N) with no authentication required (Au:N) and low attack complexity (AC:L). Exploitation likely requires a user to visit a malicious webpage or open a crafted file that loads the vulnerable Flash content, though the description does not specify the exact vectors.

Exploitation

The description states the flaw was exploited in the wild in April 2014. It is not listed in CISA KEV, but EPSS probability is 0.94569 (99.85th percentile), indicating a very high likelihood of exploitation activity.

What to do

• Apply the vendor patch by upgrading Adobe Flash Player to version 11.7.700.279 or later, 13.0.0.206 or later for 11.8.x–13.0.x, or 11.2.202.356 or later on Linux.
• If patching is not immediately possible, disable or remove Adobe Flash Player from systems that do not require it.
• Configure browsers to require click-to-play for Flash content to reduce automatic exploitation.
• Apply third-party patches from Linux distributions (Red Hat, openSUSE, Gentoo) as referenced in the advisory.
• Monitor for and block known malicious Flash content at the network perimeter where feasible.

Detection

• Monitor for crashes or abnormal behavior in Adobe Flash Player processes, which may indicate exploitation attempts.
• Use endpoint detection to look for suspicious child processes spawned by browser or Flash Player processes.
• Inspect network traffic for known exploit delivery patterns or malicious SWF files, though specific indicators are not provided in the record.
• Review logs for Flash Player versions prior to the fixed releases to identify unpatched systems.

This assessment is produced automatically and is not human-reviewed. Verify against the vendor advisory before acting on it.