CVE-2012-5833 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The texImage2D implementation in the WebGL subsystem in Mozilla Firefox before 17.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.11, Thunderbird before 17.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.11, and SeaMonkey before 2.14 does not properly interact with Mesa drivers, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via function calls involving certain values of the level parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5833 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the WebGL implementation of Mozilla Firefox and related browser applications. This issue stems from improper interaction between Firefox's WebGL subsystem and Mesa graphics drivers, creating a pathway for remote code execution and denial of service attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the texImage2D function implementation, where certain parameter values in the level parameter can trigger unpredictable behavior in the underlying graphics rendering pipeline. This flaw exists across multiple Mozilla products including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey, with affected versions spanning from pre-release states through specific ESR releases, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on these applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted WebGL function calls that manipulate the level parameter in texImage2D operations. When these malformed parameters are processed, they cause memory corruption within the graphics driver interface, leading to potential arbitrary code execution or application crashes. The flaw manifests as a buffer overflow or memory corruption issue that can be triggered remotely through web content, making it particularly dangerous for web browsing environments. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions, as the memory corruption can occur in various memory regions depending on how the Mesa drivers process the malformed parameters.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5833 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially enable full system compromise when exploited. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected browser process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability can also be used as a persistent attack vector, causing repeated application crashes that degrade user experience and potentially enable more sophisticated attack patterns. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to establish persistent access through the browser environment, and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation when the browser process has elevated privileges.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate this vulnerability, with Firefox 17.0 and Thunderbird 17.0 representing the first versions that include fixes. System administrators should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering to block potentially malicious WebGL content, though this approach provides only partial protection as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors. Browser hardening measures including disabling WebGL functionality for untrusted content and implementing strict content security policies can provide additional defense layers. Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to ensure that all Mozilla products remain current with security patches, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date graphics driver compatibility and browser implementations. The remediation process should also include monitoring for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems that can identify unusual WebGL function calls or memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.