CVE-2012-1971 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the browser engine in Mozilla Firefox before 15.0, Thunderbird before 15.0, and SeaMonkey before 2.12 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via vectors related to garbage collection after certain MethodJIT execution, and unknown other vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1971 represents a critical security flaw affecting Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 15.0, Thunderbird versions prior to 15.0, and SeaMonkey versions prior to 2.12. This issue resides within the browser engine's memory management system, specifically impacting the garbage collection mechanisms that are fundamental to JavaScript execution. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation during the execution of JavaScript code, particularly when MethodJIT compilation is involved. These applications utilize Just-In-Time compilation to improve JavaScript performance, but the interaction between this optimization and the garbage collection process creates exploitable conditions.
The technical flaw manifests through memory corruption issues that occur during garbage collection cycles following MethodJIT execution. When JavaScript code is compiled using MethodJIT, the resulting machine code interacts with the browser's memory management system in ways that can lead to improper memory deallocation or access violations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through seemingly benign web page content, making it a prime target for remote exploitation. The unspecified nature of the additional attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, potentially including various JavaScript APIs, DOM manipulation techniques, or other engine components that interact with memory management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it can result in either denial of service conditions or potential arbitrary code execution on affected systems. When exploited, the memory corruption can cause application crashes, leading to complete browser termination and denial of service for the user. More critically, in certain circumstances, attackers may be able to leverage the memory corruption to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process, potentially allowing for complete system compromise. This risk is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability can be triggered through web content without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing attacks or exploit delivery scenarios. The vulnerability affects not just Firefox but also Thunderbird and SeaMonkey, indicating a widespread impact across Mozilla's browser and email client ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1971 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of the affected software. Users should upgrade to Firefox 15.0, Thunderbird 15.0, or SeaMonkey 2.12 and later versions where the memory management issues have been addressed. System administrators should implement mandatory update policies to ensure all users are protected against this vulnerability. Additional protective measures include enabling security features such as sandboxing, which can limit the impact of successful exploits, and implementing web content filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes "Heap Overflow" conditions, and maps to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability class.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the complexity of modern browser security and the challenges of maintaining memory safety in high-performance JavaScript engines. The interaction between JIT compilation and garbage collection represents a particularly difficult area for security researchers to address, as these components must balance performance optimization with memory safety. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of thorough security testing for performance optimization features and the need for continuous monitoring of memory management systems in complex software environments. The fact that this vulnerability affected multiple Mozilla products simultaneously underscores the interconnected nature of software security and the importance of coordinated security updates across related software ecosystems.