CVE-2013-0751 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before 18.0 on Android and SeaMonkey before 2.15 do not restrict a touch event to a single IFRAME element, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or possibly conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a crafted HTML document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2021
This vulnerability affects Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 18.0 on Android platforms and SeaMonkey versions before 2.15, representing a significant security flaw in web browser implementations that could enable sophisticated attack vectors. The core issue lies in the improper handling of touch events within web browser environments, specifically when these events are processed across multiple iframe elements. When a touch event occurs within a web page containing multiple iframes, the browser fails to properly isolate or restrict the event to a single iframe element, creating an unexpected behavior that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw stems from the browser's event handling mechanism not properly implementing boundary restrictions for touch events in cross-origin iframe scenarios. This allows an attacker to craft malicious HTML documents that manipulate touch events to traverse between different iframe contexts, potentially accessing sensitive information from other frames or executing malicious code. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile browser environments where touch interactions are primary navigation methods, as it leverages the natural user interaction patterns to bypass security boundaries. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in the design of event handling systems where proper input validation and boundary enforcement mechanisms are missing, specifically categorized under CWE-200 for information exposure and CWE-79 for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that combine multiple exploitation techniques. Attackers can potentially use this flaw to harvest cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data from different iframe contexts, or more dangerously, execute cross-site scripting attacks that can compromise user sessions and access personal information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users frequently interact with web content through touch interfaces, making it easier to craft convincing attack scenarios that appear legitimate to users. This weakness directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can leverage browser-based scripting capabilities to execute malicious code, and T1531 for credential access through web browser artifacts.
The security implications are compounded by the fact that this vulnerability affects widely used browser platforms including mobile Firefox implementations, making it a prime target for mass exploitation campaigns. The lack of proper touch event isolation creates a persistent attack surface that can be exploited across multiple web applications and services. Organizations using these vulnerable browser versions face significant risks including data breaches, session hijacking, and potential full system compromise through social engineering attacks that leverage the XSS capabilities. Mitigation strategies should include immediate browser updates to patched versions, implementation of content security policies to restrict iframe interactions, and deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious touch event patterns. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browser software updated to prevent exploitation of such fundamental security flaws in event handling systems.