CVE-2010-2753 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, Thunderbird 3.0.x before 3.0.6 and 3.1.x before 3.1.1, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a large selection attribute in a XUL tree element, which triggers a use-after-free.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical integer overflow flaw that affected multiple Mozilla-based applications including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of integer values when processing XUL tree elements, specifically when dealing with large selection attributes. The flaw occurs during the parsing of XUL (XML User Interface Language) markup where the application fails to properly validate integer inputs, leading to arithmetic overflow conditions that can result in memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious XUL content with an excessively large selection attribute value that causes integer overflow during memory allocation calculations. When the application processes this malformed input, it calculates an incorrect buffer size that subsequently leads to heap memory corruption. The overflow condition creates a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after they have been deallocated, resulting in a use-after-free condition that attackers can leverage to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to users since it enables remote code execution without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a specially crafted email message. The attack surface is broad as it affects multiple Mozilla products and versions, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these applications. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is further enhanced by the fact that it can be triggered through web content, making it easily accessible to attackers who can deliver malicious payloads via compromised websites or phishing emails.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which identifies integer overflow conditions as a common source of memory corruption vulnerabilities, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through browser-based attacks. Security professionals should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, as the vulnerability provides attackers with a straightforward path to arbitrary code execution. Organizations should also implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to mitigate exposure while awaiting patches. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of visiting untrusted websites and opening suspicious email attachments remains crucial in reducing the attack surface.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of vendor patches for Firefox 3.5.11 and 3.6.7, Thunderbird 3.0.6 and 3.1.1, and SeaMonkey 2.0.6 releases. System administrators should also consider implementing strict content security policies and disabling unnecessary XUL functionality in enterprise environments. Regular vulnerability assessments and security monitoring should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should be updated to address potential use-after-free exploitation scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper integer validation in memory management operations and highlights the need for robust input sanitization in user interface frameworks.