CVE-2015-0830 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The WebGL implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 36.0 does not properly allocate memory for copying an unspecified string to a shader's compilation log, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via crafted WebGL content.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0830 represents a critical memory allocation flaw within the WebGL implementation of Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 36.0. This issue resides in the graphics rendering subsystem that processes WebGL content, specifically affecting how the browser handles string copying operations during shader compilation log generation. The flaw manifests when Firefox attempts to copy an unspecified string into a shader compilation log buffer, creating a potential memory corruption scenario that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management during WebGL operations, where the application fails to adequately validate or allocate sufficient buffer space for string operations within the shader compilation context. This memory handling error creates a condition where attacker-controlled WebGL content can trigger an out-of-bounds write operation or buffer overflow scenario. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics processing and memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute successful denial of service attacks against Firefox users by simply delivering crafted WebGL content through web pages. The exploitation results in application crashes that can be repeated indefinitely, effectively rendering the browser unusable for the affected user. This type of vulnerability particularly affects user experience and can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks if combined with other exploits, as it demonstrates the browser's susceptibility to memory corruption issues that could potentially be escalated to arbitrary code execution.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-122, which describes "Heap-based Buffer Overflow," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, "Exploitation for Client Execution," as it allows remote adversaries to execute malicious code through web browsers. Organizations and users should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the Firefox development team released version 36.0 with fixes for this memory allocation issue. Additionally, browser vendors should implement robust input validation and memory boundary checking mechanisms within their graphics processing libraries to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through web traffic analysis and ensure that all browser components are regularly updated to maintain protection against such memory corruption vulnerabilities.