CVE-2015-2742 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox before 39.0 on OS X includes native key press information during the logging of crashes, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to a crash-reporting data stream.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2742 represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 39.0 on macOS operating systems. This security issue arises from the improper handling of native key press information within crash reporting mechanisms, creating an avenue for remote attackers to access sensitive data through crash-reporting data streams. The flaw specifically affects the macOS implementation of Firefox and demonstrates how crash reporting features can inadvertently expose user input data during system failures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from Firefox's crash logging functionality on macOS platforms. When Firefox encounters a crash condition, it generates crash reports that include various system-level information to aid in debugging and resolution. However, the crash reporting mechanism failed to properly sanitize or filter out native key press information that was captured during the crash event. This native key press data, which includes sensitive information such as passwords, personal identification numbers, and other confidential input, was being included in the crash reports without adequate protection. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker gains access to these crash reporting data streams, which may be accessible through various network or local access vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential for credential theft and unauthorized access to sensitive user data. Remote attackers who can intercept or access crash reporting data streams can extract native key press information that was entered by users immediately before the crash occurred. This includes any text input, including but not limited to passwords, account numbers, personal identification information, and other confidential data that users might have entered into Firefox. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level within the crash reporting infrastructure, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without comprehensive security auditing of the crash handling processes.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and demonstrates how improper handling of sensitive data during system error conditions can create security risks. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers "Phishing" through the potential for attackers to gather credentials through compromised crash reporting systems. Organizations using affected versions of Firefox on macOS systems face significant risk of credential compromise and data exposure, particularly in environments where crash reporting data might be transmitted over networks or stored in accessible locations. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper data sanitization and access controls in system-level error reporting mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2742 require immediate patching of Firefox installations to version 39.0 or later, which includes fixes for the crash reporting data sanitization. System administrators should ensure that all users on macOS platforms are updated to the patched version and verify that crash reporting configurations properly exclude sensitive input data. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring of crash reporting systems to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized data collection attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit access to crash reporting data streams, and regular security audits should be conducted to verify that sensitive information is not being inadvertently exposed through system error handling processes. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices in system-level components and the need for comprehensive security testing of error handling and reporting mechanisms.