CVE-2016-5272 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The nsImageGeometryMixin class in Mozilla Firefox before 49.0 and Firefox ESR 45.x before 45.4 does not properly perform a cast of an unspecified variable during handling of INPUT elements, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5272 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Mozilla Firefox's rendering engine that affects versions prior to 49.0 and Firefox ESR 45.x prior to 45.4. This issue resides within the nsImageGeometryMixin class, which is responsible for handling geometric calculations and rendering of image elements in web pages. The flaw manifests during the processing of INPUT elements, which are fundamental HTML form components that typically trigger various user interactions and data handling mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from improper type casting operations that occur when the browser attempts to process specific combinations of image and input element attributes, creating a scenario where memory corruption can occur during normal web page rendering operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and potentially CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The flaw specifically involves an unspecified variable that undergoes improper casting operations during the handling of INPUT elements, which can lead to unpredictable memory behavior. When a malicious website presents carefully crafted HTML content containing specific combinations of image and input elements, the browser's rendering engine executes the flawed code path, causing the improper cast to result in memory corruption. This memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable browser.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-5272 is severe and directly relates to the attack surface of web browsers, which serve as primary entry points for cyber attacks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through drive-by download scenarios where simply visiting a compromised website is sufficient to trigger exploitation. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond normal browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous in the context of modern threat landscapes. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where the attack leverages browser vulnerabilities to execute malicious code. The exploitation process typically involves crafting HTML content that forces the browser to traverse the problematic code path within nsImageGeometryMixin, potentially leading to remote code execution capabilities that can be used to install malware, steal user credentials, or establish persistent access to compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5272 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates, as Mozilla released patched versions addressing the specific memory corruption issue. Organizations should prioritize updating to Firefox 49.0 or Firefox ESR 45.4 and later versions to eliminate the vulnerability. Additionally, network security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional layers of protection by blocking suspicious HTML content that might trigger the vulnerability. Browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary plugins and maintaining strict security settings can further reduce the attack surface. From a defensive perspective, security monitoring should include detection of unusual browser behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should be updated to address potential compromise scenarios involving browser-based attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and highlights the need for continuous security assessments of web-based applications and their underlying rendering engines.