CVE-2013-1705 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer underflow in the cryptojs_interpret_key_gen_type function in Mozilla Firefox before 23.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.20 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted Certificate Request Message Format (CRMF) request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1705 represents a critical heap-based buffer underflow affecting Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 23.0 and SeaMonkey versions prior to 2.20. This flaw exists within the cryptojs_interpret_key_gen_type function, which processes Certificate Request Message Format (CRMF) requests during cryptographic operations. The underflow occurs when the application fails to properly validate input data length before performing memory operations, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a memory safety error in the context of the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The vulnerability enables remote code execution or denial of service conditions when a maliciously crafted CRMF request is processed by the vulnerable browser.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of cryptographic certificate request processing within the browser's security subsystem. When Firefox encounters a CRMF request, the cryptojs_interpret_key_gen_type function attempts to parse and interpret key generation parameters without adequate bounds checking. The heap-based nature of the underflow means that the vulnerable memory allocation occurs on the heap rather than the stack, making exploitation more complex but still potentially viable. Attackers can craft a specially formatted CRMF request that triggers the buffer underflow condition, causing the application to write beyond the allocated memory boundaries. This memory corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution if the attacker can control the overwritten memory locations, or simply cause application crashes that result in denial of service attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users who may encounter malicious certificate requests through various attack vectors including web pages, email attachments, or compromised websites. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or drive-by download scenarios. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially compromise entire browser-based security ecosystems, as CRMF requests can be generated and processed automatically by web applications. The vulnerability affects the core cryptographic processing capabilities of the browser, potentially undermining the security of SSL/TLS connections and certificate validation processes that are fundamental to web security.
Organizations and users should prioritize immediate patching of affected browsers to mitigate this vulnerability, as no reliable workarounds exist for the underlying memory corruption issue. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Firefox 23.0 or later, or SeaMonkey 2.20 or later versions where the buffer underflow has been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through malformed CRMF requests, while also considering the broader context of the attack surface that includes web-based cryptographic operations. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in cryptographic libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for executing commands through web-based applications, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of cryptographic components within browser environments.