CVE-2015-4514 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the browser engine in Mozilla Firefox before 42.0 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4514 represents a critical security flaw within the browser engine of Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 42.0. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerabilities, indicating that the exact technical details of the underlying flaws were not fully disclosed in the initial reporting. The affected component is the browser engine itself, which serves as the core rendering and execution framework responsible for processing web content, handling user interactions, and managing various browser functionalities. These vulnerabilities specifically enable remote attackers to exploit the browser through unspecified vectors that can lead to either denial of service conditions or potentially more severe arbitrary code execution capabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from memory corruption issues within Firefox's browser engine implementation. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when applications fail to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation, leading to situations where attacker-controlled data can overwrite critical memory regions. This type of flaw often manifests through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that can be triggered by malformed input or crafted web content. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple distinct code paths within the browser engine could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may be triggerable through various web page elements or content types.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4514 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable complete system compromise. When attackers can cause memory corruption and subsequent application crashes, they may be able to manipulate the browser's execution flow to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Firefox. This represents a significant escalation from simple denial of service to full remote code execution capabilities, which could allow attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability affects users across multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on Firefox as their primary web browser.
The implications of this vulnerability align with common attack patterns documented in the attack mitigation framework, particularly those involving memory corruption exploits that leverage the attacker's ability to control program execution flow. This type of vulnerability is often categorized under CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) or similar memory corruption categories, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving execution through exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations using unpatched versions of Firefox face significant risk exposure, as these vulnerabilities can be exploited through simple web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The lack of specific disclosure about attack vectors makes defensive measures more challenging, as security teams must implement broad mitigations rather than targeted patches for specific exploit scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-4514 primarily focus on immediate patching of affected Firefox installations to version 42.0 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all browser installations are updated promptly. Additional defensive measures include implementing browser hardening configurations, enabling security features such as sandboxing and content security policies, and deploying network-based protections such as web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious content. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual browser behavior or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining unpatched systems within the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current browser versions and implementing robust security practices to protect against zero-day exploits that can quickly become weaponized by threat actors.