CVE-2009-1828 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox 3.0.10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop, application hang, and memory consumption) via a KEYGEN element in conjunction with (1) a META element specifying automatic page refresh or (2) a JavaScript onLoad event handler for a BODY element. NOTE: it was later reported that earlier versions are also affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-1828 represents a significant denial of service weakness in Mozilla Firefox version 3.0.10 that demonstrates how seemingly benign HTML elements can be exploited to create resource exhaustion conditions. This flaw specifically targets the browser's handling of the KEYGEN element when combined with either automatic page refresh mechanisms through META tags or JavaScript event handlers. The vulnerability operates by creating a condition where the browser enters an infinite loop during page rendering, causing sustained application hanging and progressive memory consumption that can ultimately lead to complete browser crash or system instability.
The technical execution of this vulnerability relies on the browser's processing of HTML elements in a specific sequence that triggers a malformed state in Firefox's rendering engine. When a web page contains a KEYGEN element alongside a META element that specifies automatic refresh or a BODY element with an onLoad JavaScript handler, the browser's parser encounters a condition where it cannot properly resolve the dependencies between these elements. This creates a race condition or recursive processing scenario where the browser's internal state management becomes corrupted, leading to continuous resource allocation without proper cleanup.
From an operational perspective this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to users who may unknowingly visit compromised web pages or be subjected to cross-site scripting attacks that leverage this specific combination. The infinite loop condition can cause the browser to consume all available memory resources, potentially leading to system-wide performance degradation or complete system hangs, particularly on machines with limited resources. The fact that earlier versions of Firefox are also affected means that organizations with older browser installations face continued exposure to this threat vector, making it a persistent concern for security teams managing legacy systems.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and specifically relates to denial of service conditions caused by malformed input processing. Additionally, this issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers "Toggle System Protection" and "Resource Exhaustion," as the attack effectively consumes system resources to disable normal operation. The attack vector demonstrates how web-based applications can be leveraged to create persistent resource exhaustion conditions that impact not just individual browser sessions but potentially entire system operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including browser updates to versions that address this vulnerability, which typically involves upgrading to Firefox 3.0.11 or later. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious combinations of HTML elements that trigger this behavior. Browser security configurations should be reviewed to disable unnecessary JavaScript functionality and restrict automatic page refresh mechanisms where possible. Regular security assessments should include testing for similar resource exhaustion conditions in other browser components, as this vulnerability demonstrates how HTML element combinations can create unexpected processing states that consume system resources indefinitely.