CVE-2019-9799 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient bounds checking of data during inter-process communication might allow a compromised content process to be able to read memory from the parent process under certain conditions. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 66.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical memory safety issue in the firefox browser that stems from inadequate bounds checking during inter-process communication operations. The flaw exists within the browser's architecture where content processes communicate with parent processes, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors who have already compromised a content process. The vulnerability specifically affects firefox versions prior to 66, indicating a long-standing issue that required significant architectural changes to address properly. The root cause lies in the improper validation of data boundaries when transferring information between different process contexts, allowing for potential memory disclosure attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the trust relationship between firefox's content processes and its parent process, where the browser's security model assumes proper data validation. When a compromised content process attempts to read memory from the parent process, the insufficient bounds checking allows for unauthorized data access that could potentially expose sensitive information. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues and represents a classic example of improper input validation in multi-process environments. The vulnerability can be classified as a memory disclosure flaw that enables attackers to extract information from memory spaces they should not have access to, making it particularly dangerous in the context of browser security where multiple processes interact with each other.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to gather sensitive data from the parent process memory space. This could include user credentials, personal information, or other confidential data that might be stored in memory during browser operations. The attack scenario typically involves an initial compromise of a content process through other means such as phishing or exploit delivery, followed by leveraging this vulnerability to escalate privileges and access additional memory regions. This vulnerability directly impacts the browser's security model and could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation or information theft that could compromise user privacy and system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus on implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms and strengthening inter-process communication protocols within the browser architecture. The primary fix involves updating firefox to version 66 or later where the bounds checking has been properly implemented and the vulnerability has been patched. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the patched firefox version and consider implementing additional security measures such as process isolation, memory protection mechanisms, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in multi-process systems and aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework where initial compromises are leveraged to gain additional access through architectural weaknesses. This case study emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive security testing of inter-process communication mechanisms and proper memory management practices in complex software systems.