CVE-2007-4879 in SeaMonkey
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before Firefox 2.0.0.13, and SeaMonkey before 1.1.9, can automatically install TLS client certificates with minimal user interaction, and automatically sends these certificates when requested, which makes it easier for remote web sites to track user activities across domains by requesting the TLS client certificates from other domains.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2019
This vulnerability resides in the certificate handling mechanisms of Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey browsers, specifically addressing the insecure automatic installation and transmission of TLS client certificates. The flaw allows remote websites to exploit the browsers' trust in automatically installed certificates, creating a persistent tracking mechanism that undermines user privacy and browser security assumptions. The vulnerability affects versions prior to Firefox 2.0.0.13 and SeaMonkey 1.1.9, representing a significant gap in the browsers' certificate management policies that could be leveraged for cross-domain tracking.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the browsers' failure to properly validate certificate installation contexts and their automatic transmission behavior. When a website requests TLS client certificates from other domains, the browser automatically provides certificates that were previously installed without explicit user consent or awareness. This automatic behavior violates fundamental security principles of certificate management and user consent, as the system assumes the user has authorized certificate usage when in reality the installation may have occurred through automated processes or deceptive means. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and specifically relates to certificate trust model violations where automated certificate handling bypasses user control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates a sophisticated tracking system that enables remote websites to monitor user behavior across different domains and services. Attackers can leverage this mechanism to build comprehensive profiles of user activities by requesting certificates from various domains and correlating the responses. This cross-domain tracking capability significantly undermines the privacy protections that users expect from their browsers and can be used for behavioral advertising, identity tracking, and potentially more malicious purposes such as session hijacking or credential harvesting. The vulnerability essentially transforms the browser's certificate management system into an automated tracking device that operates without user knowledge or consent.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate patching and enhanced user awareness practices. Organizations and users must upgrade to versions that address the certificate installation and transmission behaviors, specifically Firefox 2.0.0.13 and SeaMonkey 1.1.9 or later. Browser administrators should implement certificate management policies that require explicit user consent for certificate installation and establish stricter controls over automatic certificate transmission. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving credential access through browser-based attacks, where the vulnerability enables persistent tracking and identity correlation across domains. Security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous certificate requests and establish user education programs about certificate management practices to prevent exploitation through social engineering or automated installation methods.