CVE-2013-5619 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer overflows in the binary-search implementation in SpiderMonkey in Mozilla Firefox before 26.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.23 might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds array access) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JavaScript code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5619 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine that powers Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey browsers. This issue specifically affects the binary search implementation where improper handling of integer values can lead to unexpected behavior when processing crafted JavaScript code. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to Firefox 26.0 and SeaMonkey 2.23, making a substantial user base susceptible to potential exploitation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the binary search algorithm implementation. When JavaScript code attempts to perform binary searches on arrays or data structures, the algorithm calculates indices using integer arithmetic that can overflow when dealing with large input values. This overflow condition results in incorrect array indexing calculations, potentially leading to out-of-bounds memory access patterns. The flaw manifests when integer variables exceed their maximum representable values, causing wraparound behavior that can be exploited to manipulate memory access patterns.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to browser security and system stability. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious JavaScript code that triggers the integer overflow condition during binary search operations. The potential impacts include both denial of service attacks that crash browser processes and more severe consequences that could enable arbitrary code execution. The out-of-bounds array access can lead to memory corruption, which may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process, representing a serious security risk for end users.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript-based command and control. The binary search implementation in SpiderMonkey serves as a common code path for array operations, making this flaw particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through routine web browsing activities. Security researchers have noted that such integer overflows often serve as precursors to more sophisticated exploitation techniques, as they can be combined with other vulnerabilities to achieve privilege escalation or remote code execution.
Organizations and individuals should prioritize immediate patching of affected browser versions to mitigate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Firefox 26.0 or later versions, and SeaMonkey 2.23 or later, which contain fixed implementations of the binary search algorithm with proper integer overflow protections. Additionally, implementing content security policies and restricting JavaScript execution in sensitive environments can provide additional defense layers. Network administrators should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with JavaScript-based buffer overflow attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure comprehensive protection against similar integer overflow vulnerabilities that may exist in other browser components or web applications.