CVE-2015-7199 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The (1) AddWeightedPathSegLists and (2) SVGPathSegListSMILType::Interpolate functions in Mozilla Firefox before 42.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x before 38.4 lack status checking, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted SVG document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7199 represents a critical memory corruption issue affecting Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 42.0 and Firefox ESR 38.x versions before 38.4. This flaw manifests in two distinct but related functions within the browser's SVG processing engine, specifically the AddWeightedPathSegLists and SVGPathSegListSMILType::Interpolate functions. The absence of proper status checking in these components creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit memory handling mechanisms through carefully crafted SVG documents. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution or complete system compromise when exploited.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation within the SVG path segment processing logic. When Firefox processes SVG documents containing malicious path data, the AddWeightedPathSegLists function fails to properly validate the status of path segment operations before proceeding with memory allocation and manipulation. Similarly, the SVGPathSegListSMILType::Interpolate function lacks adequate error checking during interpolation operations, which can result in heap corruption when processing malformed path data. These functions operate within the broader context of SVG rendering and animation processing, making them prime targets for exploitation through crafted web content that leverages the browser's vector graphics capabilities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks by causing memory corruption that can crash the browser or potentially lead to more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution. The exploitation requires a victim to view a specially crafted SVG document, which can be delivered through various attack vectors including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web applications. The vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that under certain conditions, attackers might be able to achieve privilege escalation or information disclosure, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter untrusted content. This flaw directly relates to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common in memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The attack surface for CVE-2015-7199 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through web-based attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the browser's rendering engine and can be exploited through web delivery methods that leverage the SVG vector graphics format. Security practitioners should note that the vulnerability affects not only the main Firefox browser but also the Extended Support Release versions, indicating that organizations running these older versions remain at risk. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Firefox installations, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes or network-level controls. Organizations should prioritize updating to Firefox 42.0 or later versions, or Firefox ESR 38.4 and later, to eliminate this memory corruption vulnerability and protect against potential exploitation attempts.