CVE-2012-3956 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the MediaStreamGraphThreadRunnable::Run 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 CVE-2012-3956 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition affecting Mozilla Firefox and related applications including Thunderbird and SeaMonkey. This flaw exists within the MediaStreamGraphThreadRunnable::Run function, which handles multimedia streaming operations in the browser's core architecture. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated, creating opportunities for malicious code execution or system instability. The affected versions include Firefox before 15.0 and Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, along with Thunderbird before 15.0 and Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, and SeaMonkey before 2.12, indicating this was a widespread issue across the Mozilla ecosystem.
This memory corruption vulnerability operates through a classic use-after-free exploit pattern where an attacker can manipulate the application's memory state to execute arbitrary code remotely. The flaw occurs during multimedia processing operations when the MediaStreamGraphThreadRunnable object is executed, potentially allowing attackers to control the execution flow of the application. The heap memory corruption aspect means that the attacker can overwrite critical memory locations, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack surfaces within the multimedia processing pipeline could be leveraged, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may be exploitable through various user interactions or content types.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to include potential remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain control over affected systems. When exploited, the use-after-free condition can lead to heap-based buffer overflows, which are particularly dangerous in browser environments where sandboxing mechanisms may be bypassed. The vulnerability affects the core multimedia processing thread, meaning that any web content involving audio or video streams could serve as an attack vector. This creates significant risk for enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious content through email attachments, web browsing, or web-based applications that utilize multimedia features.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3956 should prioritize immediate patch deployment across all affected Mozilla applications, as this vulnerability represents a high-severity threat that could be actively exploited in the wild. Organizations should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems to prevent access to known malicious domains that might host exploit code. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, particularly focusing on unusual memory access patterns or heap corruption behaviors in affected applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a common attack pattern categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict memory protection mechanisms, regular security assessments of multimedia handling code, and maintaining updated threat intelligence feeds to identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening techniques and restricting multimedia content processing capabilities where possible to reduce the attack surface for such vulnerabilities.