# CVE-2018-5002: Adobe Flash Player Stack-based Buffer Overflow

> A stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Flash Player allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious content.

- **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 23 May 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **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:** 9 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3rj8-qvqp-3335, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-5002

## What is CVE-2018-5002?

CVE-2018-5002 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 9 Jul 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

Adobe Flash Player versions 29.0.0.171 and earlier have a Stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-5002?

It affects 5 products.


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

## How do I fix CVE-2018-5002?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 13 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-5002 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-5002 in the wild since at least 23 May 2022.

## 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-2018-5002 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-5002 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, published on 9 Jul 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-2018-5002 in the wild since at least 23 May 2022.

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-2018-5002/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5002/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-5002
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5002
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-5002

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5002/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.