# What is CVE-2015-5119?

> CVE-2015-5119 is a critical-severity flaw (CVSS 9.8) in Flash Player from Adobe, published on 8 July 2015. It is on the list of flaws known to be exploited, so criminals are already using it. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at over 99%. If you run an affected version, patch it first.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2015-5119

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Fix this now. Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 91 out of 100 (Critical); action: Emergency patch. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** Critical (CVSS 9.8 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** Yes, it is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** over 99% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 8 July 2015
- **Record last updated:** 21 April 2025
- **Main product:** Flash Player from Adobe
- **Affected products:** 14

## What is CVE-2015-5119? In plain terms

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### The official description

Use-after-free vulnerability in the ByteArray class in the ActionScript 3 (AS3) implementation in Adobe Flash Player 13.x through 13.0.0.296 and 14.x through 18.0.0.194 on Windows and OS X and 11.x through 11.2.202.468 on Linux allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted Flash content that overrides a valueOf function, as exploited in the wild in July 2015.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-416: Use After Free

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Is CVE-2015-5119 being exploited? Yes

Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at over 99%.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: >99%, >99%, >99%, >99%, >99%, >99%, >99%.

### Timeline

- 8 July 2015: Published
- 21 April 2025: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2015-5119 scores **91 out of 100 (Critical)**, with the action "Emergency patch".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2015-5119?

The published record lists 14 products.

- [Flash Player](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/adobe/flash_player) by [Adobe](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/adobe) (Application): up to 11.2.202.468, 13.0.0.182 to 13.0.0296, 14.0.0.125 to 18.0.0.194
- [Linux Enterprise Desktop](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/suse/linux_enterprise_desktop) by [Suse](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/suse) (Operating system): 11-sp3, 11-sp4, 12
- [Enterprise Linux Desktop](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_desktop) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 5.0, 6.0
- [Enterprise Linux Server](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 5.0, 6.0
- [Enterprise Linux Server from Rhui](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server_from_rhui) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 5.0, 6.0
- [Enterprise Linux Workstation](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_workstation) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 5.0, 6.0
- [Opensuse](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/opensuse/opensuse) by [Opensuse](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/opensuse) (Operating system): 13.1, 13.2
- [Enterprise Linux Eus](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_eus) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.6
- [Enterprise Linux Server Aus](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server_aus) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.6
- [Evergreen](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/opensuse/evergreen) by [Opensuse](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/opensuse) (Operating system): 11.4
- [Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/suse/linux_enterprise_workstation_extension) by [Suse](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/suse) (Operating system): 12
- [Linux kernel](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/linux/linux_kernel) by [Linux](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/linux) (Operating system): version not specified
- [Mac OS X](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/apple/mac_os_x) by [Apple](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/apple) (Operating system): version not specified
- [Windows](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/microsoft/windows) by [Microsoft](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/microsoft) (Operating system): version not specified

## How do I fix CVE-2015-5119?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Check it wasn’t used before you patched.** Because criminals are already using this flaw, look for signs of a break-in on affected systems using the vendor’s guidance.

### References

- [helpx.adobe.com](https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsa15-03.html) (Broken link, Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [helpx.adobe.com](https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb15-16.html) (Broken link, Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [blog.trendmicro.com](http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/unpatched-flash-player-flaws-more-pocs-found-in-hacking-team-leak/) (Broken link)
- [lists.opensuse.org](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-07/msg00015.html) (Mailing list, Third-party advisory)
- [lists.opensuse.org](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-07/msg00016.html) (Mailing list, Third-party advisory)
- [lists.opensuse.org](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-07/msg00017.html) (Mailing list, Third-party advisory)
- [lists.opensuse.org](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-07/msg00018.html) (Mailing list, Third-party advisory)
- [rhn.redhat.com](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1214.html) (Third-party advisory)
- [twitter.com](http://twitter.com/w3bd3vil/statuses/618168863708962816) (Broken link)
- [kb.cert.org](http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/561288) (Third-party advisory, Government resource)
- [rapid7.com](http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/browser/adobe_flash_hacking_team_uaf) (Third-party advisory)
- [securityfocus.com](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/75568) (Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database)
- [securitytracker.com](http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032809) (Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database)
- [us-cert.gov](http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA15-195A) (Third-party advisory, Government resource)
- [packetstormsecurity.com](https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132600/Adobe-Flash-Player-ByteArray-Use-After-Free.html) (Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database)
- [security.gentoo.org](https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201507-13) (Third-party advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2015-5119?

CVE-2015-5119 is a critical-severity flaw in Flash Player from Adobe, published on 8 July 2015. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2015-5119?

It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is critical. Our risk score for CVE-2015-5119 is 91 out of 100, which is Critical. Its action is "Emergency patch". Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list.

### Is CVE-2015-5119 being exploited?

Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at over 99%.

### Which versions does CVE-2015-5119 affect?

For Flash Player from Adobe: up to 11.2.202.468, 13.0.0.182 to 13.0.0296, 14.0.0.125 to 18.0.0.194. The record lists 14 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2015-5119?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. Because criminals are already using it, also check affected systems for signs of a break-in.

## Does CVE-2015-5119 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

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