CVE-2015-2745 in Firefox OS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the Search app in Gaia in Mozilla Firefox OS before 2.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML via the (1) name or (2) title field in card content associated with a search link that is mishandled after a HOME button press or a Show Windows action, as demonstrated by embedding an arbitrary application or spoofing the account-creation page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2015-2745 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Search application of Mozilla Firefox OS versions prior to 22. This vulnerability resides in the Gaia user interface framework and specifically affects how the system handles search link card content during navigation events. The flaw manifests when attackers can manipulate the name or title fields of search cards, which are then improperly processed after system navigation actions such as pressing the HOME button or executing a Show Windows action. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of search card metadata within the Firefox OS environment. When users interact with search results that contain specially crafted name or title fields, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape these inputs before rendering them in the user interface. This improper handling creates an opportunity for attackers to inject arbitrary HTML content that executes within the context of the Search application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through legitimate user interactions with the home screen or window management functions, making it difficult to prevent through simple user awareness measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as demonstrated by the attack vectors mentioned in the CVE description. Attackers can leverage this flaw to embed arbitrary applications within the search interface or create convincing spoofing attacks against account creation pages, effectively compromising user trust and potentially enabling credential theft or unauthorized application installations. The vulnerability affects the entire Firefox OS ecosystem since it operates within the core user interface framework rather than isolated applications, meaning that successful exploitation could potentially provide attackers with elevated privileges within the operating system's user interface layer. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 which covers command and scripting interpreter execution, and represents a significant threat to user data integrity and system security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2745 primarily involve upgrading to Firefox OS version 2.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly sanitize search card inputs. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that escape or sanitize all user-provided content before rendering it in the interface, particularly focusing on the name and title fields of search cards. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing content security policies that restrict script execution within the search application context, and conduct regular security assessments of the Gaia framework to identify similar input handling vulnerabilities. The patch for this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization in mobile operating systems and highlights the need for robust security testing of core UI components that handle user-generated content.