CVE-2012-3967 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The WebGL implementation 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 on Linux, when a large number of sampler uniforms are used, does not properly interact with Mesa drivers, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (stack memory corruption) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3967 represents a critical stack memory corruption issue within the WebGL graphics implementation of Mozilla Firefox and related products. This flaw specifically manifests when the browser processes web content that utilizes a large number of sampler uniforms in WebGL shaders, creating conditions that trigger improper interaction between Firefox's graphics subsystem and underlying Mesa graphics drivers on Linux systems. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, stack-based buffer overflow, as it involves improper memory management during graphics processing operations that can lead to unauthorized code execution or system instability. The affected software versions include Firefox before 15.0 and Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, Thunderbird before 15.0 and Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.7, along with SeaMonkey before 2.12, all running on Linux platforms where Mesa graphics drivers are present.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted web content that deliberately creates an excessive number of sampler uniforms within WebGL shader programs. When Firefox processes such content, the graphics driver interaction becomes corrupted due to improper bounds checking and memory allocation handling during the WebGL rendering pipeline. The Mesa graphics drivers, which provide the underlying OpenGL implementation for Linux systems, fail to properly validate or constrain the memory usage patterns created by the excessive sampler uniforms, leading to stack memory corruption that can be leveraged by remote attackers. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through browser-based exploits and represents a sophisticated vector that combines graphics driver vulnerabilities with browser security flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can craft malicious websites that, when visited by victims using affected browser versions, trigger the stack corruption condition and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process. This represents a significant threat to user security as it allows for complete system compromise through web-based attacks. The vulnerability particularly affects Linux environments where Mesa drivers are commonly used, making it relevant to a substantial portion of Firefox users who rely on open source graphics stack implementations. Organizations using these affected versions face elevated risk of successful exploitation, especially in environments where users may encounter malicious web content through email attachments, social engineering, or compromised websites.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3967 require immediate patching of affected browser versions to the latest stable releases that contain fixes for the WebGL implementation. System administrators should prioritize updating Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey installations to versions that address this specific graphics driver interaction issue. Additionally, implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help reduce exposure to malicious web content that might trigger this vulnerability. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual WebGL activity patterns and memory usage anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures including disabling WebGL support where it is not required for business operations, though this may impact legitimate web applications that depend on graphics rendering capabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper graphics driver integration testing and memory management in browser security architectures, particularly when dealing with complex multimedia rendering pipelines that interface with underlying operating system graphics subsystems.