CVE-2013-0797 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Untrusted search path vulnerability in the Mozilla Updater in Mozilla Firefox before 20.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.5, Thunderbird before 17.0.5, Thunderbird ESR 17.x before 17.0.5, and SeaMonkey before 2.17 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL file in an unspecified directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0797 represents a critical untrusted search path issue within the Mozilla Updater component that affects multiple Mozilla products including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. This flaw resides in the way the updater component resolves file paths during software updates, creating a potential privilege escalation vector for local attackers. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to Firefox 20.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.5, Thunderbird before 17.0.5, Thunderbird ESR 17.x before 17.0.5, and SeaMonkey before 2.17, making it a widespread concern across the Mozilla ecosystem.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of dynamic link library (DLL) loading mechanisms within the Mozilla Updater process. When the updater attempts to load necessary components during the update process, it does not properly validate or sanitize the search path, allowing attackers to place malicious DLL files in directories that are searched before the legitimate system directories. This behavior aligns with CWE-426, which describes untrusted search path vulnerabilities where applications search for libraries or executables in insecure locations. The flaw essentially creates a race condition where attacker-controlled code can be executed with elevated privileges, as the updater process typically runs with higher privileges than regular user applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables local privilege escalation attacks that can result in full system compromise. An attacker with local access to a victim machine can exploit this vulnerability by placing a malicious Trojan horse DLL file in a directory that the Mozilla Updater will search through during the update process. This allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the updater process, which typically operates with elevated permissions. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal user interaction beyond having local access to the system, and the malicious DLL will be executed automatically during the normal update process, making detection more difficult. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through the exploitation of untrusted search paths.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0797 primarily focus on updating to patched versions of the affected Mozilla products, as this represents the most effective solution. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of updates to Firefox 20.0, Firefox ESR 17.0.5, Thunderbird 17.0.5, Thunderbird ESR 17.0.5, and SeaMonkey 2.17. Additionally, system administrators should implement strict directory permissions and monitoring to prevent unauthorized DLL placement, particularly in common search paths. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices around dynamic library loading and demonstrates the need for proper input validation and path resolution in system components. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and monitoring for suspicious DLL loading activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability scanning to identify systems running affected versions and ensuring that all Mozilla products are updated to their latest secure releases, as this vulnerability could potentially be leveraged in combination with other attack vectors to achieve more sophisticated compromise objectives.