CVE-2010-1214 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Mozilla Firefox 3.5.x before 3.5.11 and 3.6.x before 3.6.7, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.6, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via plugin content with many parameter elements.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-1214 represents a critical integer overflow flaw affecting Mozilla Firefox versions 3.5.x prior to 3.5.11 and 3.6.x prior to 3.6.7, along with SeaMonkey versions before 2.0.6. This security issue stems from improper handling of parameter elements within plugin content, creating a condition where an attacker can manipulate integer values to exceed their maximum representable limits. The flaw occurs when the browser processes plugin content containing numerous parameter elements, leading to arithmetic overflow conditions that can be exploited to corrupt memory structures and potentially execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's handling of plugin parameters where integer variables used to track the number of parameters or their sizes are not properly validated against overflow conditions. When an attacker crafts plugin content with an excessive number of parameter elements, the integer counters used to manage this data can wrap around to negative values or extremely large positive values due to the overflow. This condition creates memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing them to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin processing subsystem where parameter parsing occurs, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities when visiting malicious websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1214 is severe and far-reaching, as it enables remote code execution without requiring any local privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. Attackers can craft specially designed web pages containing malicious plugin content that exploits this vulnerability, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks and targeted phishing campaigns. The exploitability is enhanced by the fact that the vulnerability affects widely used browser versions, providing attackers with a large attack surface. The integer overflow creates a memory corruption condition that can be reliably exploited across different operating systems and architectures, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where multiple browser versions may be in use. Organizations using affected browser versions face significant risk of compromise, as the vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing without any additional user actions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1214 primarily focus on immediate patching and updating to unaffected browser versions, as this vulnerability was addressed through official security updates released by Mozilla. System administrators should prioritize updating Firefox to version 3.5.11 or later, 3.6.7 or later, and SeaMonkey to version 2.0.6 or later to eliminate the risk of exploitation. Additionally, organizations can implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious plugin content, though this approach is less reliable than patching. Browser security settings can be enhanced by disabling plugin execution for untrusted websites, using sandboxing technologies, and implementing strict content security policies. From an enterprise perspective, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running affected browser versions, while security awareness training can help users recognize potentially malicious websites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to memory corruption vulnerabilities. This issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of web applications for code execution, highlighting the broader threat landscape where such vulnerabilities serve as entry points for more sophisticated attacks.