CVE-2008-5018 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The JavaScript engine in Mozilla Firefox 3.x before 3.0.4, Firefox 2.x before 2.0.0.18, Thunderbird 2.x before 2.0.0.18, and SeaMonkey 1.x before 1.1.13 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via vectors related to "insufficient class checking" in the Date class.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5018 represents a critical flaw in the JavaScript engine implementation within several Mozilla applications including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. This issue stems from insufficient class checking mechanisms within the Date class implementation, creating a potential vector for remote attackers to induce system instability. The vulnerability affects specific versions of these widely-used applications, with Firefox 3.x prior to 3.0.4, Firefox 2.x prior to 2.0.0.18, Thunderbird 2.x prior to 2.0.0.18, and SeaMonkey 1.x prior to 1.1.13 being particularly susceptible. The flaw manifests when the JavaScript engine fails to properly validate class instances during Date object operations, leading to unpredictable behavior that can result in application crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the JavaScript engine's handling of Date class objects where inadequate type checking allows malicious code to manipulate object instances in ways that bypass normal validation procedures. When an attacker crafts specific JavaScript code that exploits this insufficient class checking, the engine's internal mechanisms fail to properly verify that objects conform to expected class structures before performing operations on them. This lack of proper validation can cause memory corruption or execution flow disruption, ultimately resulting in application crashes. The vulnerability operates at the interpreter level where JavaScript code is processed and executed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through web pages or email content that users might encounter during normal browsing or email operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-5018 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. While the immediate effect is a denial of service condition causing application crashes, this vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for attackers seeking to establish more persistent compromises. The flaw's presence in widely-deployed applications means that successful exploitation could affect thousands of users simultaneously, potentially leading to widespread service disruption. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability represents a low-effort method to cause system instability, making it attractive for malicious actors seeking to disrupt services or create conditions for more complex attacks. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, as the insufficient checking represents a failure in proper access validation within the JavaScript engine.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations by upgrading to patched versions of affected software, as Mozilla released updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize patch management for these applications given their widespread use and the potential for exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust type checking and validation mechanisms in interpreted languages, particularly when dealing with core object models that are heavily utilized by web applications. Implementation of web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide additional protection layers, though the most effective defense remains timely software updates and patches. This vulnerability also highlights the need for continuous security auditing of core components in browser engines, as JavaScript engines represent critical attack surfaces that require rigorous validation of object handling and type checking mechanisms. The flaw serves as a reminder that even fundamental language components like date handling can contain critical security implications when proper validation is not enforced throughout the execution pipeline.