# CVE-2018-4878: Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free

> A use-after-free flaw in Adobe Flash Player allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious media content, requiring an upgrade to the latest version.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2rf4-mpg3-phjw, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-4878

## What is CVE-2018-4878?

CVE-2018-4878 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 6 Feb 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A use-after-free vulnerability was discovered in Adobe Flash Player before 28.0.0.161. This vulnerability occurs due to a dangling pointer in the Primetime SDK related to media player handling of listener objects. A successful attack can lead to arbitrary code execution. This was exploited in the wild in January and February 2018.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-4878?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Adobe Flash Player, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-4878?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-4878 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-4878 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- Aggressor Script to launch IE driveby for CVE-2018-4878 (github_poc): https://github.com/vysecurity/CVE-2018-4878
- Flash Exploit Poc (github_poc): https://github.com/SyFi/CVE-2018-4878
- Metasploit module for CVE-2018-4878 (github_poc): https://github.com/B0fH/CVE-2018-4878
- 备忘：flash挂马工具备份  CVE-2018-4878 (github_poc): https://github.com/ydl555/CVE-2018-4878-
- 软件系统安全结课作业：[漏洞复现] CVE-2018-4878 Flash 0day (github_poc): https://github.com/HuanWoWeiLan/SoftwareSystemSecurity-2019
- Flash ActiveX 28.0.0.137 - Code Execution (2) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player

- [CVE-2017-11292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11292/): Adobe Flash Player Type Confusion (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-7892](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7892/): Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-7855](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7855/): Adobe Flash Player Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0497](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0497/): Adobe Flash Player Integer Underflow Vulnerablity (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-0643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-0643/): Adobe Flash Player Incorrect Default Permissions (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-4878 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-4878 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 6 Feb 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-4878 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Adobe Flash Player. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4878/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4878/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-4878
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-4878
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-4878

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4878/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.