CVE-2015-8510 in Firefox OS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the internationalization feature in the default homescreen app in Mozilla Firefox OS before 2.5 allows user-assisted remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted web site that is mishandled during "Add to home screen" bookmarking.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2018
The vulnerability CVE-2015-8510 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the internationalization functionality of Mozilla Firefox OS homescreen application. This security weakness exists in versions prior to 2.5 and specifically targets the "Add to home screen" bookmarking feature that users encounter when interacting with websites. The flaw enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through carefully crafted web pages that exploit how the system processes internationalized content during the bookmarking process. This vulnerability operates under the CWE-79 category as a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability where untrusted data is improperly handled and subsequently executed in the victim's browser context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when Firefox OS processes internationalized web content during the "Add to home screen" operation. When users visit a malicious website and attempt to bookmark it to their homescreen, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate internationalization parameters that are part of the bookmark metadata. This improper handling creates an injection point where attacker-controlled scripts can be embedded within the bookmarked content. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited, as the victim must actively choose to add the malicious website to their homescreen, making it a user-assisted remote attack vector rather than a fully automated threat. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, specifically targeting mobile browser environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and redirection to phishing sites. When users add malicious bookmarks to their Firefox OS homescreen, these bookmarks can execute code that monitors user interactions, captures sensitive information, or modifies the device's behavior. The vulnerability affects the core user experience and security model of Firefox OS by compromising the trusted environment that should exist between the user's homescreen and external web content. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active even after the initial browsing session ends, as the malicious bookmarks remain in the user's homescreen environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8510 primarily involve upgrading to Firefox OS version 2.5 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms for internationalization parameters during the bookmarking process. System administrators and security teams should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Firefox OS devices receive timely updates. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of adding unknown websites to the homescreen can provide defense-in-depth protection. Organizations should also consider implementing web filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious content before it reaches users, particularly focusing on internationalized domains that might be used in such attacks. The fix addresses the root cause by ensuring that all internationalization parameters are properly escaped and validated before being processed during the bookmarking operation, thereby preventing the injection of malicious scripts into the system's trusted interface elements.