CVE-2017-5471 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Memory safety bugs were reported in Firefox 53. Some of these bugs showed evidence of memory corruption and we presume that with enough effort that some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 54.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5471 represents a critical memory safety issue within Mozilla Firefox version 53 and earlier, where multiple memory corruption flaws were discovered that could potentially lead to arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety bugs as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically mapping to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in memory corruption. The flaw exists in the browser's handling of memory operations during web page rendering and script execution, creating potential attack vectors that adversaries could exploit to gain unauthorized control over affected systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Firefox's JavaScript engine and rendering components, where buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption mechanisms may occur when processing malformed web content. These memory safety issues can manifest when the browser encounters specially crafted web pages or content that triggers unexpected memory behavior during parsing, execution, or rendering processes. The presence of memory corruption indicates that attackers could potentially manipulate heap memory structures, overwrite critical data, or redirect program execution flow through carefully constructed inputs that exploit these underlying flaws.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5471 is significant as it provides attackers with a potential pathway to achieve remote code execution on vulnerable systems without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. This type of vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries could leverage the memory corruption to execute malicious payloads through browser-based attacks. The vulnerability affects not only individual users but also enterprise environments where Firefox is widely deployed, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or conduct further reconnaissance activities. Organizations running affected Firefox versions face increased risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5471 primarily involve immediate upgrade to Firefox version 54 or later, which contains patches addressing the identified memory safety issues. Security administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additional protective measures include deploying web application firewalls, implementing content security policies, and utilizing browser hardening techniques that limit the attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and continuous monitoring of software components, as outlined in industry best practices for vulnerability management and incident response. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed logs for forensic analysis should compromise occur.