CVE-2008-4067 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox before 2.0.0.17 and 3.x before 3.0.2, Thunderbird before 2.0.0.17, and SeaMonkey before 1.1.12 on Linux allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) and URL-encoded / (slash) characters in a resource: URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2019
This directory traversal vulnerability exists in multiple Mozilla applications including Firefox Thunderbird and SeaMonkey versions prior to specific patch releases. The flaw occurs when these applications process resource: URIs that contain encoded dot dot sequences followed by forward slashes, allowing attackers to manipulate file paths and access files outside the intended directory structure. The vulnerability specifically affects Linux installations of these applications, though similar issues may exist on other platforms. The technical implementation involves the applications failing to properly sanitize or validate URI components that contain directory traversal sequences, which can lead to unauthorized file access. This represents a classic path traversal attack vector where URL encoding is used to bypass normal security checks that would otherwise prevent access to restricted file paths.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as remote attackers can exploit it to read arbitrary files from the target system. This could include sensitive configuration files, user data, or system information that should remain protected. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to files that are not intended to be accessible through normal application functionality. The vulnerability allows for potential information disclosure, which could lead to further exploitation opportunities including credential theft or system compromise. The attack requires no special privileges on the target system and can be executed through web-based interactions, making it particularly dangerous for users who browse untrusted websites or open malicious email attachments.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating all affected Mozilla applications to their patched versions, specifically Firefox 2.0.0.17 and 3.0.2, Thunderbird 2.0.0.17, and SeaMonkey 1.1.12. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URI patterns containing directory traversal sequences. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 where attackers use command and control channels to execute malicious code, though in this case the attack vector is through web browser exploitation rather than direct command execution. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict input validation for all URI processing and establishing monitoring for unusual file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.