CVE-2011-3003 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before 7.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.4 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via an unspecified WebGL test case that triggers a memory-allocation error and a resulting out-of-bounds write operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3003 represents a critical security flaw affecting Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 7.0 and SeaMonkey versions prior to 2.4. This issue resides within the WebGL graphics rendering component of these web browsers, which is responsible for enabling hardware-accelerated 3D graphics through the OpenGL ES 2.0 API. The vulnerability manifests when processing specific WebGL test cases that trigger memory allocation errors leading to out-of-bounds write operations. This flaw falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, though in this context it manifests as a memory allocation error that results in unauthorized memory access patterns.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the WebGL rendering pipeline's handling of malformed graphics commands or test cases that cause the browser's graphics subsystem to allocate insufficient memory for processing complex 3D graphics operations. When the WebGL implementation processes these specially crafted test cases, it fails to properly validate memory allocation sizes, resulting in a situation where subsequent write operations attempt to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes or more severe consequences such as arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as it involves the execution of code through browser-based graphics processing rather than traditional command-line interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable remote code execution in affected systems. Attackers can craft malicious WebGL test cases that, when loaded in vulnerable browsers, trigger the memory allocation error and subsequent out-of-bounds write operations. This allows for exploitation of the vulnerability without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or exploit delivery scenarios. The vulnerability affects systems running on multiple operating platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, where the affected browsers are installed. The memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses or function pointers, potentially enabling attackers to redirect program execution flow to malicious code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of affected browser versions to the patched releases. Mozilla released Firefox 7.0 and SeaMonkey 2.4 which contain fixes addressing the WebGL memory allocation issues. Organizations should also implement browser hardening measures including disabling WebGL support in environments where it is not required, implementing strict content security policies, and using web application firewalls to filter malicious WebGL content. Network-level protections can include blocking access to known malicious domains that may serve exploit code, while endpoint protection solutions should monitor for unusual memory access patterns and process behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in graphics processing components and demonstrates how seemingly benign graphics functionality can become a vector for severe security compromises. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain detailed inventory of browser versions across their networks to quickly identify and remediate vulnerable systems.