CVE-2011-2988 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in an unspecified string class in the WebGL shader implementation in Mozilla Firefox 4.x through 5, Thunderbird before 6, SeaMonkey 2.x before 2.3, and possibly other products allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long source-code block for a shader.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2988 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the WebGL shader implementation of several Mozilla-based applications. This issue affects Firefox versions 4.x through 5, Thunderbird versions prior to 6, and SeaMonkey 2.x versions before 2.3, demonstrating the widespread impact across the Mozilla ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically resides in an unspecified string class implementation that handles WebGL shader source code processing, making it particularly dangerous as WebGL functionality is increasingly integrated into web applications and browser-based graphics rendering.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from inadequate bounds checking during the processing of shader source code blocks. When a malicious actor submits a specially crafted shader with an excessively long source-code block, the application fails to properly validate the input length before attempting to allocate memory for processing. This memory allocation failure results in a buffer overflow condition where the program attempts to write data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The overflow occurs within the WebGL shader compilation pipeline, specifically in the string handling mechanisms that process vertex and fragment shader code. This type of vulnerability is classified as CWE-121, which encompasses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of unsafe string handling in memory management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, presenting a significant threat vector for remote code execution. Attackers can leverage this buffer overflow to inject and execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that malicious actors can trigger the flaw through web-based attacks without requiring local system access or user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website. This makes it particularly dangerous for web browsing environments where users frequently encounter untrusted content. The denial of service aspect manifests as application crashes, which can be used for persistent disruption attacks, though the remote code execution capability represents the more severe threat vector.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected software versions, as no reliable workarounds exist for the underlying buffer overflow condition. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Firefox 6, Thunderbird 6, and SeaMonkey 2.3, which contain the necessary memory management fixes. System administrators should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls to filter out suspicious shader code patterns, though these measures are not foolproof given the exploit's nature. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in graphics rendering libraries, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through browser-based attacks. Security monitoring should focus on unusual memory allocation patterns and potential buffer overflow indicators in browser processes, particularly during WebGL shader compilation phases, as this vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics processing and memory management where traditional security controls may be insufficient.