CVE-2016-1946 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The MoofParser::Metadata function in binding/MoofParser.cpp in libstagefright in Mozilla Firefox before 44.0 does not limit the size of read operations, which might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (integer overflow and buffer overflow) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted metadata.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1946 resides within the libstagefright multimedia framework component of Mozilla Firefox, specifically in the MoofParser::Metadata function located in binding/MoofParser.cpp. This flaw represents a critical security issue that affects Firefox versions prior to 44.0, where the parsing mechanism fails to properly validate or constrain the size of metadata operations during media file processing. The root cause stems from inadequate input validation that permits unbounded read operations, creating a dangerous condition where maliciously crafted media files could trigger exploitable behavior in the application's handling of multimedia content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic integer overflow condition combined with a buffer overflow scenario that occurs when the MoofParser attempts to process metadata from multimedia files. When encountering specially crafted metadata within media containers, the parser does not properly validate the size parameters of the data being read, allowing attackers to manipulate the read operation size to exceed normal boundaries. This lack of size limitation creates opportunities for both denial of service conditions through integer overflow and potential code execution through buffer overflow exploitation, as the application attempts to allocate memory based on attacker-controlled values that may exceed the intended buffer capacity or cause arithmetic overflow in size calculations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more severe security consequences including arbitrary code execution and complete system compromise. Attackers can craft malicious media files that, when processed by Firefox, trigger the vulnerable code path and cause unpredictable behavior in the application's memory management. The vulnerability affects the core multimedia processing capabilities of Firefox, making it particularly dangerous as users commonly encounter media files through web browsing activities, email attachments, or other digital content consumption methods. This creates a wide attack surface where remote exploitation can occur simply by visiting a malicious website or opening a compromised file, without requiring any special user interaction beyond normal browsing behavior.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Firefox installations to version 44.0 or later, where the implementation includes proper size validation and bounds checking for metadata read operations. Security organizations should implement network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts, while users should maintain updated browser versions and avoid opening untrusted media files. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array index and buffer bounds, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures such as sandboxing, content filtering, and restricted file type handling to minimize the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in other components of the browser ecosystem.