CVE-2011-2995 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the browser engine in Mozilla Firefox before 3.6.23 and 4.x through 6, Thunderbird before 7.0, and SeaMonkey before 2.4 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2995 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple Mozilla products including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey across specific version ranges. This issue stems from unspecified vulnerabilities within the browser engine component that serves as the core rendering and processing architecture for these applications. The affected versions span Firefox 3.6.22 and earlier, Firefox 4.0 through 6.0, Thunderbird 6.0 and earlier, and SeaMonkey 2.3 and earlier, indicating a widespread impact across the Mozilla ecosystem. The vulnerability manifests through unknown attack vectors that can be exploited remotely by malicious actors to compromise system integrity and user security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption issues that occur within the browser engine's processing mechanisms. These memory corruption flaws typically arise from improper handling of memory allocation, deallocation, or data processing operations within the rendering pipeline. When exploited, such vulnerabilities can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory leaks, or potentially more severe consequences such as arbitrary code execution. The unspecified nature of the exact attack vectors suggests that multiple code paths within the browser engine may be susceptible to similar memory handling issues, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to fully characterize and mitigate. These issues fall under the broader category of memory safety vulnerabilities that are commonly classified as CWE-119 (Improper Access to Memory) or CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow) in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2995 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable remote code execution capabilities that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. When applications crash due to memory corruption, users experience immediate disruption of service, but the more concerning aspect is the potential for attackers to craft specific payloads that could exploit the memory corruption to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. This creates opportunities for attackers to install malware, steal sensitive information, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability affects not just individual user experiences but represents a significant risk to enterprise security environments where these applications are widely deployed. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these applications are commonly used for web browsing and email operations, making them prime targets for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2995 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Mozilla. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of Firefox 3.6.23, Firefox 7.0, Thunderbird 7.0, and SeaMonkey 2.4, which contain the necessary fixes to address the memory corruption issues. Additionally, implementing network-based security controls such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection while waiting for full patch deployment. Security teams should also consider implementing browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary features, implementing content security policies, and restricting access to potentially malicious websites. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1070 (Indicator Removal on Host) when exploited for code execution scenarios, highlighting the need for comprehensive security monitoring and response capabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems that may still be running vulnerable versions, as the attack vectors remain relevant even in modern security environments where legacy systems may persist.