CVE-2009-2043 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
nsViewManager.cpp in Mozilla Firefox 3.0.2 through 3.0.10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via vectors related to interaction with TinyMCE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2043 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Mozilla Firefox versions 3.0.2 through 3.0.10, specifically within the nsViewManager.cpp component. This issue arises from improper handling of certain interactions between Firefox's rendering engine and the TinyMCE rich text editor component, creating a scenario where remote attackers can trigger application instability through carefully crafted web content. The flaw manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition that leads to application crashes, effectively enabling attackers to disrupt normal browser operations without requiring any privileged access or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within Firefox's view management system. When Firefox encounters web content that interacts with TinyMCE, the nsViewManager.cpp code fails to properly validate pointer references, particularly when dealing with dynamically loaded content or malformed editor states. This NULL pointer dereference occurs during the rendering process when the browser attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or allocated, causing the application to terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability specifically targets the interaction between Firefox's DOM manipulation capabilities and TinyMCE's event handling mechanisms, creating a condition where malformed or unexpected content can force the browser into an unstable state.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to end users and organizations relying on Firefox 3.0.x versions for their browsing activities. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that contain specially crafted TinyMCE interactions, potentially causing frequent browser crashes and disrupting user productivity. The impact extends beyond simple inconvenience as repeated exploitation could lead to complete browser unavailability, forcing users to restart their browsers and potentially lose unsaved work. Organizations may experience broader operational disruption when employees encounter these crashes during critical business operations, particularly in environments where web-based applications are extensively used. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that simply visiting a compromised website is sufficient to trigger the denial of service condition, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted web content.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices and inadequate error handling within Firefox's core rendering components. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability would be categorized under the denial of service category within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, potentially falling under techniques related to service availability disruption. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Firefox versions, with users upgrading to version 3.0.11 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved input validation and memory management procedures. Additionally, organizations should implement web content filtering measures to restrict access to known malicious domains and consider browser hardening techniques to reduce the attack surface for similar vulnerabilities.