CVE-2016-2804 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the browser engine in Mozilla Firefox before 46.0 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2804 represents a critical security flaw within the browser engine of Mozilla Firefox versions prior to 46.0. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerabilities, indicating that the exact nature of the flaws was not fully disclosed in the initial reporting. The affected component resides in the core browser engine responsible for processing web content, making it a fundamental attack surface for malicious actors. Such vulnerabilities in browser engines are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited through normal web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The technical flaw manifests as memory corruption issues that can lead to application crashes or potentially allow remote code execution. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when applications fail to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation, leading to situations where attacker-controlled data can overwrite critical memory regions. These types of vulnerabilities often stem from buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or other memory management defects that can be exploited to gain control over the application's execution flow. The unspecified nature of the vectors suggests that multiple attack paths may exist, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to defend against comprehensively.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-2804 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable complete system compromise. When a remote attacker can cause memory corruption that leads to arbitrary code execution, they gain the ability to install malware, steal sensitive data, or take full control of the affected system. This vulnerability affects the browser engine's ability to safely process web content, meaning any user visiting a compromised website could be at risk. The potential for remote code execution makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors who can leverage it for large-scale attacks against unsuspecting users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to Firefox version 46.0 or later, which contains patches addressing the memory corruption issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems are updated promptly. Additionally, security measures such as sandboxing, content filtering, and network monitoring can provide additional layers of protection. According to CWE guidelines, memory corruption vulnerabilities like this fall under CWE-122, which deals with buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read errors. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under T1203, which involves legitimate credentials and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreters, as attackers could potentially use such vulnerabilities to establish persistent access or execute malicious commands on compromised systems.