CVE-2013-1713 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before 23.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.8, Thunderbird before 17.0.8, Thunderbird ESR 17.x before 17.0.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.20 use an incorrect URI within unspecified comparisons during enforcement of the Same Origin Policy, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks or install arbitrary add-ons via a crafted web site.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-1713 represents a critical flaw in the Same Origin Policy implementation within Mozilla Firefox and related applications including Thunderbird and SeaMonkey. This security weakness stems from an incorrect URI handling mechanism during origin comparisons that fundamentally undermines the browser's security model designed to prevent unauthorized access between different web origins. The flaw affects multiple versions of these applications, specifically Firefox versions before 23.0 and its Extended Support Release 17.x versions before 17.0.8, along with Thunderbird and SeaMonkey applications in their respective vulnerable releases.
The technical implementation error occurs when the browser performs URI comparisons to enforce the Same Origin Policy, which is a fundamental security mechanism that restricts how documents or scripts loaded from one origin can interact with resources from another origin. This specific vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the flawed URI parsing logic to bypass these security restrictions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute cross-site scripting attacks against users. The flaw specifically impacts the way the browser processes certain URI formats during comparison operations, enabling attackers to craft malicious web pages that can manipulate the browser's origin checking mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the capability to conduct sophisticated cross-site scripting attacks that can steal user sessions, manipulate browser behavior, or exfiltrate sensitive information. Additionally, the vulnerability enables attackers to install arbitrary add-ons or extensions without user consent, which represents a significant escalation in attack capabilities. This latter aspect is particularly concerning as browser extensions often have extensive permissions and can access user data, modify browser behavior, or even act as persistent backdoors. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to execute code in the context of a user's browsing session, potentially leading to complete compromise of the user's browser environment and associated data.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should immediately update to the patched versions of their applications, with Firefox 23.0, Thunderbird 17.0.8, and SeaMonkey 2.20 being the minimum recommended versions to address this issue. Security administrators should implement network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions that can detect and block known malicious patterns associated with this vulnerability. The underlying weakness aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through web-based attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper URI handling in security-critical applications and highlights the potential for seemingly minor implementation flaws to create significant security risks in complex software ecosystems.