CVE-2014-9163
Adobe Flash Player Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
Adobe Flash Player
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 December 2014.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 13 April 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 4 May 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 20.7%, which is higher than 97.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2014-9163 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2014-9163.
What does CVE-2014-9163 affect?
CVE-2014-9163 affects Adobe Flash Player. 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 December 2014.
How severe is CVE-2014-9163?
CVE-2014-9163 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 20.7%, higher than 97.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 4 May 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2014-9163?
Apply the vendor patch for Adobe Flash Player as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.