CVE-2012-1972 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the nsHTMLEditor::CollapseAdjacentTextNodes function in Mozilla Firefox before 15.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, Thunderbird before 15.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, and SeaMonkey before 2.12 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (heap memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1972 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the nsHTMLEditor::CollapseAdjacentTextNodes function of Mozilla's browser and email client software. This flaw exists in versions of Firefox prior to 15.0, Firefox ESR 10.x prior to 10.0.7, Thunderbird prior to 15.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x prior to 10.0.7, and SeaMonkey prior to 2.12. The issue stems from improper memory management where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated, creating a dangerous scenario that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory conditions in software applications. When the nsHTMLEditor::CollapseAdjacentTextNodes function processes HTML content containing adjacent text nodes, it manipulates memory structures that may be freed during the processing cycle. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or email content that triggers this specific code path, causing the application to access memory that has already been released. This memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including crashes, heap corruption, or more severely arbitrary code execution depending on the exploitation circumstances.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1972 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include potential remote code execution capabilities. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple Mozilla products including browsers, email clients, and the SeaMonkey suite, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these applications are widely deployed. The heap memory corruption aspect creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected software versions, as recommended by Mozilla's security advisories. Organizations should prioritize updating to Firefox 15.0, Thunderbird 15.0, or equivalent ESR versions that contain the necessary fixes. Additionally, implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide temporary defense while patches are deployed. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) highlights the need for JavaScript sandboxing and execution monitoring. Security teams should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures for potential compromise scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular security updates and proper memory management practices in preventing exploitation of such fundamental software flaws.