CVE-2010-0164 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the imgContainer::InternalAddFrameHelper function in src/imgContainer.cpp in libpr0n in Mozilla Firefox 3.6 before 3.6.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap memory corruption and application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a multipart/x-mixed-replace animation in which the frames have different bits-per-pixel (bpp) values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2010-0164 represents a critical use-after-free condition within Mozilla Firefox's image processing subsystem, specifically in the libpr0n library responsible for handling various image formats. This flaw exists in the imgContainer::InternalAddFrameHelper function located in src/imgContainer.cpp, making it a fundamental component of the browser's image rendering pipeline. The vulnerability manifests when processing multipart/x-mixed-replace animations, which are HTTP content types used for streaming image sequences where each frame replaces the previous one in the same display area. These animations are commonly used for webcams, live video feeds, and dynamic image updates on websites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the browser encounters a multipart/x-mixed-replace animation containing frames with varying bits-per-pixel values, creating a scenario where memory management becomes compromised. During the processing of such animations, the imgContainer::InternalAddFrameHelper function fails to properly manage memory references for frame objects, leading to a use-after-free condition where freed memory locations are accessed or overwritten. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory conditions in software development, and represents a classic heap corruption vulnerability that can result in unpredictable behavior.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous for web browsing environments. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause heap memory corruption that leads to application crashes, browser instability, and in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser process. Attackers can craft malicious web pages containing specially formatted multipart/x-mixed-replace animations with different bpp values to trigger the vulnerable code path. This vulnerability affects all versions of Firefox 3.6 prior to 3.6.2, representing a significant security gap that could be exploited in the wild by threat actors targeting users of these older browser versions. The attack vector requires only a web page with the malicious content, making it particularly dangerous for user interaction.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves immediate patching of affected Firefox installations to version 3.6.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly handle memory management in the image processing pipeline. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additionally, security measures such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious multipart/x-mixed-replace content, though these should not be considered primary defenses. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in image processing libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for remote code execution through browser exploitation, highlighting the need for robust input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia handling components. Users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browser software updated to protect against such vulnerabilities.