CVE-2013-0774 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before 19.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.3, Thunderbird before 17.0.3, Thunderbird ESR 17.x before 17.0.3, and SeaMonkey before 2.16 do not prevent JavaScript workers from reading the browser-profile directory name, which has unspecified impact and remote attack vectors.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2021
This vulnerability affects multiple Mozilla products including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey versions prior to specific patches, creating a critical information disclosure risk. The flaw resides in how JavaScript workers handle browser profile directory names, allowing malicious code to potentially access sensitive path information that should remain protected. This represents a significant breach in the browser's security model where the isolation between JavaScript execution contexts and system-level information is compromised. The vulnerability enables attackers to gather information about the user's browser profile structure through JavaScript worker processes, which could serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. The unspecified impact and remote attack vectors indicate that this weakness could be exploited across network boundaries without requiring local system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sandboxing controls within JavaScript worker threads. When JavaScript workers execute in Firefox and related applications, they should maintain strict isolation from the underlying operating system and browser profile structures. However, the flaw allows these worker threads to access directory names within the browser profile directory, which typically contains sensitive user data and application configuration information. This weakness falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities where attackers can extract potentially sensitive path information that could aid in further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability specifically impacts the security boundaries that should exist between different execution contexts within the browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates opportunities for attackers to perform reconnaissance activities that could lead to more serious security breaches. An attacker could use this information to understand the user's system configuration, potentially identifying specific browser versions, profile locations, or user-specific settings that might be exploited in subsequent attacks. The remote attack vectors mean that this vulnerability could be exploited through web pages without requiring any special privileges or local access to the target system. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged through standard web browsing activities, potentially leading to privilege escalation or data theft scenarios.
Organizations should immediately implement patches for all affected versions of Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey to remediate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the patched versions where Firefox 19.0, Thunderbird 17.0.3, and SeaMonkey 2.16 or later are deployed. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls to monitor for suspicious JavaScript activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include enabling strict content security policies and monitoring for unusual file access patterns within browser profile directories. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving reconnaissance and privilege escalation through information gathering activities. The security community should treat this as a high-priority vulnerability requiring immediate attention due to its potential for remote exploitation and the sensitive information it can expose.