CVE-2016-1971 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The I420VideoFrame::CreateFrame function in the WebRTC implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 45.0 on Windows omits an unspecified status check, which might allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1971 resides within the WebRTC implementation of Mozilla Firefox, specifically affecting versions prior to 45.0 on Windows operating systems. This issue manifests in the I420VideoFrame::CreateFrame function where a critical status check is omitted during frame creation processes. The absence of proper validation mechanisms creates a potential pathway for malicious actors to exploit memory handling inconsistencies within the browser's video processing pipeline. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it may potentially enable more severe consequences through unspecified attack vectors that could compromise system stability and integrity.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate error handling within the video frame creation routine that processes I420 format video data. When the CreateFrame function fails to properly validate return statuses from underlying memory allocation or processing operations, it allows execution to continue with potentially invalid or corrupted data structures. This condition creates memory corruption vulnerabilities that can manifest through various attack vectors including crafted malicious web content or manipulated video streams. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-248, which addresses the exposure of an exception to an unknown user, and represents a classic example of improper error handling that can lead to memory corruption issues.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to Firefox users who engage with web content that utilizes WebRTC functionality for video communication or streaming. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that trigger the vulnerable code path through video processing operations, leading to browser crashes or system instability. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability could potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges, though the exact attack vectors remain unspecified in the original CVE description. The Windows-specific nature of the vulnerability indicates targeted exploitation potential against desktop environments where Firefox is commonly deployed.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected Firefox versions to 45.0 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the omitted status checks. Organizations should implement network-level controls to monitor and restrict access to potentially malicious web content that might trigger WebRTC operations. Browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary WebRTC features for users who do not require video communication capabilities can reduce attack surface. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous memory usage patterns or unexpected browser crashes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper error handling in multimedia processing components and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption vulnerabilities.