CVE-2013-0755 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the mozVibrate implementation in the Vibrate library in Mozilla Firefox before 18.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.2, Thunderbird before 17.0.2, Thunderbird ESR 17.x before 17.0.2, and SeaMonkey before 2.15 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors related to the domDoc pointer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2021
The CVE-2013-0755 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Mozilla Firefox's Vibrate API implementation that affected multiple products including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey across various versions. This vulnerability resides in the mozVibrate functionality which handles device vibration notifications through web applications. The flaw specifically manifests in how the domDoc pointer is managed during the vibration API execution, creating a scenario where memory that has been freed is still accessed by subsequent operations. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 as a use-after-free condition, which occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior and code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires remote attackers to craft malicious web content that triggers the Vibrate API in a specific manner that causes the domDoc pointer to be freed while still being referenced elsewhere in the code execution path. When the application attempts to access this freed memory location, it can result in memory corruption that attackers can leverage to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic memory safety issue where proper pointer validation and memory lifecycle management are insufficiently implemented. The attack vector involves delivering malicious content through web pages that invoke the vibration API in a way that creates the conditions for the use-after-free scenario to occur.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple Mozilla products and their respective support channels, affecting both regular release cycles and extended support releases. Users of Firefox versions prior to 18.0, Firefox ESR 17.x versions before 17.0.2, Thunderbird versions before 17.0.2, Thunderbird ESR 17.x versions before 17.0.2, and SeaMonkey versions before 2.15 were all at risk of exploitation. The vulnerability's remote nature means that simply visiting a compromised website could lead to code execution without requiring user interaction beyond normal browsing behavior. This makes the exploit particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites where attackers can leverage the vulnerability to deliver malware or establish persistent access to affected systems.
Security mitigations for CVE-2013-0755 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of the affected software products, with Mozilla releasing updates that address the memory management issues in the Vibrate API implementation. The fix typically involves implementing proper reference counting mechanisms and ensuring that pointers are validated before access, preventing the scenario where freed memory is accessed. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of patches across all affected systems and consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in web browser implementations, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation scenarios. Additionally, browser hardening measures including sandboxing and memory protection features should be enabled to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could be leveraged in combination with other techniques to achieve complete system compromise.