CVE-2011-0058 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Mozilla Firefox before 3.5.17 and 3.6.x before 3.6.14, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.12, on Windows allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a long string that triggers construction of a long text run.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition affecting Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey web browsers on Windows platforms. The flaw occurs during the processing of text content when the browser encounters exceptionally long strings that trigger the construction of extended text runs. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to Firefox 3.5.17 and 3.6.x before 3.6.14, as well as SeaMonkey before 2.0.12, making it a widespread issue across multiple browser versions. The buffer overflow condition arises from insufficient input validation and bounds checking during text rendering operations, where the browser fails to properly handle strings exceeding predetermined memory allocation limits.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote attackers to manipulate memory structures through carefully crafted malicious content. When a user visits a compromised website containing a specially constructed long string, the browser's text rendering engine attempts to create a text run that exceeds allocated buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected browser process, or alternatively cause a denial of service through application crashes. The vulnerability specifically targets the browser's text processing pipeline where Unicode strings are handled, making it particularly dangerous in web environments where content can be dynamically generated and served from untrusted sources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise and individual users alike, as it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack surface is extensive given the widespread adoption of affected browser versions, and the potential for exploitation makes this a high-priority remediation target. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and also relates to CWE-122, heap-based buffer overflow scenarios that can occur during dynamic memory allocation. The attack vector is classified as remote and unauthenticated, making it particularly dangerous for targeted campaigns and automated exploitation.
The impact of successful exploitation extends beyond simple denial of service to include complete system compromise when attackers can execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability represents a classic example of how text processing functions can become attack vectors in web browsers, particularly when dealing with Unicode and international character sets. The memory corruption effects can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, data corruption, or complete system instability. Organizations should prioritize patch management and browser updates to address this vulnerability, as the window of exposure increases with the continued use of unsupported browser versions. The remediation approach must include comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure that the buffer overflow protection mechanisms function correctly without introducing regressions in browser functionality.