CVE-2015-4477 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the MediaStream playback feature in Mozilla Firefox before 40.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified use of the Web Audio API.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2022
The CVE-2015-4477 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Mozilla Firefox's MediaStream playback functionality, specifically affecting versions prior to 40.0. This vulnerability resides in the browser's handling of Web Audio API operations and demonstrates how multimedia processing components can become attack vectors for remote code execution. The flaw manifests when Firefox processes certain MediaStream objects through the Web Audio API, creating conditions where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated, leading to potential arbitrary code execution capabilities for remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper management of memory references within Firefox's audio processing pipeline. When MediaStream objects are manipulated through Web Audio API calls, the browser's memory management system fails to properly track object lifecycles, resulting in situations where audio processing threads attempt to access memory that has already been freed and potentially reallocated. This memory corruption scenario creates exploitable conditions where attackers can manipulate the freed memory contents to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process. The vulnerability specifically leverages the interaction between MediaStream playback and Web Audio API functionality, where audio data streams are processed in ways that bypass normal memory safety checks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4477 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass significant security implications for web browser users. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages that trigger the specific sequence of MediaStream and Web Audio API operations, potentially leading to complete browser compromise and, in some cases, system-level access. The vulnerability's remote nature means users can be exploited simply by visiting compromised websites, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or when users browse untrusted content. This flaw directly violates the principle of memory safety and demonstrates how multimedia processing components can become attack surfaces when proper memory lifecycle management is not implemented.
Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt browser updates to Firefox version 40.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory management issues. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains and deploy security monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a classic example of how improper memory management can lead to remote code execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving exploitation of browser vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure that the memory management fixes properly address the underlying use-after-free conditions while maintaining browser functionality.