CVE-2015-7174 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The nsAttrAndChildArray::GrowBy function in Mozilla Firefox before 41.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x before 38.3 might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors, related to an "overflow."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7174 affects Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 41.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x versions prior to 38.3, representing a critical memory corruption issue within the nsAttrAndChildArray::GrowBy function. This flaw resides in the core rendering engine of the browser and demonstrates the classic characteristics of buffer overflow vulnerabilities that can lead to unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability occurs when the function attempts to expand array storage dynamically, creating conditions where memory boundaries are not properly enforced during allocation operations. The issue manifests as an overflow condition that can be triggered through crafted web content, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout and execution flow. According to CWE-129, this represents an implementation flaw where insufficient validation occurs during array bounds checking, making it susceptible to exploitation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the memory corruption can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution depending on the specific memory layout and attack conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires understanding the internal memory management mechanisms of Firefox's layout engine, particularly how attribute and child array structures are handled during document parsing and rendering. When the nsAttrAndChildArray::GrowBy function processes requests to expand storage capacity, it fails to properly validate input parameters that determine the new array size. This validation gap creates an opportunity for attackers to supply malicious parameters that cause the function to allocate insufficient memory or trigger overflow conditions during memory reallocation. The vulnerability's nature aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 where adversaries leverage application flaws to execute malicious code, and more specifically with T1203 which involves the manipulation of application memory structures. The overflow condition can occur during normal browsing operations when processing malformed HTML or CSS content, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through routine web interactions without user awareness. Attackers can craft web pages that contain specially formatted attributes or child elements that, when parsed by Firefox, trigger the vulnerable code path.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates significant risk for users and organizations relying on affected Firefox versions, as it can be exploited through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The vulnerability's potential for causing application crashes makes it a prime candidate for denial of service attacks, while the memory corruption aspect opens possibilities for more sophisticated exploitation techniques. Organizations using affected versions face increased risk of system compromise, particularly in environments where users may encounter malicious web content through phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently visit compromised sites. Security researchers have noted that this type of memory corruption vulnerability can be leveraged in combination with other exploits to achieve privilege escalation or persistent access to systems. The vulnerability's presence in both regular Firefox releases and ESR versions indicates a widespread impact across different user bases, requiring immediate patching across all affected deployments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7174 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to Firefox 41.0 or later, or Firefox ESR 38.3 and later releases, which contain the necessary fixes to address the memory overflow condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly, as the vulnerability's exploitability makes it a high-priority target for attackers. Additional defensive measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can detect and block potentially malicious web content, though this approach provides only partial protection given the vulnerability's nature. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls may offer some mitigation but cannot fully prevent exploitation of this memory corruption flaw. Security teams should also consider monitoring for unusual application behavior or crash patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly in environments where users access untrusted web content. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-129 and its potential for leading to more severe exploits emphasizes the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered defense strategies. Organizations should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected systems or applications that might be vulnerable to similar memory corruption issues, ensuring a comprehensive approach to vulnerability management and risk mitigation.