CVE-2010-3166 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the nsTextFrameUtils::TransformText function in Mozilla Firefox before 3.5.12 and 3.6.x before 3.6.9, Thunderbird before 3.0.7 and 3.1.x before 3.1.3, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.7 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a bidirectional text run.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3166 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow affecting multiple Mozilla applications including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. This flaw resides within the nsTextFrameUtils::TransformText function which processes text rendering operations, specifically handling bidirectional text runs that contain mixed right-to-left and left-to-right character sequences. The vulnerability manifests when the application processes specially crafted text containing bidirectional formatting characters that trigger improper memory allocation during text transformation operations. The heap-based nature of this buffer overflow indicates that attackers can manipulate heap memory layout to achieve arbitrary code execution, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability for remote code execution scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the improper handling of Unicode bidirectional text formatting controls within the text rendering pipeline. When the TransformText function processes text containing specific combinations of bidirectional characters, it fails to properly validate the length of allocated memory buffers, leading to a situation where data written to memory exceeds the allocated buffer boundaries. This memory corruption occurs in the heap memory region, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially manipulate program execution flow. The vulnerability specifically targets the text transformation logic that handles complex text rendering scenarios involving mixed-directional text, which is commonly used in internationalized web content and email messages.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3166 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables remote code execution without user interaction in many scenarios. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or email messages containing the specific bidirectional text sequences that trigger the buffer overflow, allowing them to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This vulnerability affects a broad range of Mozilla products and their respective versions, creating widespread exposure across different platforms and user bases. The attack vector requires only that a user view a malicious webpage or open a compromised email message, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing multiple affected applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3166 primarily involve immediate application updates to patched versions of the affected software components. Mozilla released security patches for Firefox 3.5.12 and 3.6.9, Thunderbird 3.0.7 and 3.1.3, and SeaMonkey 2.0.7, which address the buffer overflow through proper bounds checking in the text transformation functions. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additional protective measures include enabling security features such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention, though these provide only partial protection against heap-based buffer overflows. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious bidirectional text patterns, though they may not prevent all exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in text processing libraries and highlights the need for security testing of internationalization features in software applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through application-specific vulnerabilities.