CVE-2023-32215 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE • 06/02/2023
Mozilla developers and community members Gabriele Svelto, Andrew Osmond, Emily McDonough, Sebastian Hengst, Andrew McCreight and the Mozilla Fuzzing Team reported memory safety bugs present in Firefox 112 and Firefox ESR 102.10. Some of these bugs showed evidence of memory corruption and we presume that with enough effort some of these could have been exploited to run arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 113, Firefox ESR < 102.11, and Thunderbird < 102.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2025
This memory safety vulnerability affects Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird browsers, representing a critical concern for web security infrastructure. The flaw was discovered through collaborative efforts between Mozilla developers, community members, and the Mozilla Fuzzing Team, highlighting the importance of continuous security research in open source ecosystems. The vulnerability specifically targets memory safety issues present in Firefox version 112 and Firefox ESR 102.10, with evidence suggesting these bugs could lead to memory corruption. According to industry standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125, which represents out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are fundamental memory safety weaknesses that can lead to system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the browser's rendering and processing components. Memory corruption bugs typically occur when applications attempt to access memory locations outside the bounds of allocated memory regions, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate program execution flow. These issues are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, making them prime targets for sophisticated attack vectors. The presence of multiple contributors including Andrew McCreight and the Mozilla Fuzzing Team indicates this was likely discovered through systematic fuzzing techniques that systematically test software behavior under unexpected inputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser instability, as memory corruption issues can be leveraged for complete system compromise. Attackers could potentially craft malicious web content that triggers these memory safety flaws, leading to privilege escalation or full system control. The vulnerability affects not just regular Firefox users but also organizations relying on Firefox ESR for enterprise deployments, where version 102.10 and earlier versions remain in use. This creates a significant risk for organizations that have not yet updated their browser installations, as the exploitation potential could result in data breaches, unauthorized access, or persistent malware installations on target systems.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, with Firefox users upgrading to version 113 or later and Firefox ESR users updating to version 102.11 or higher. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across their browser infrastructure. Additional protective measures include browser hardening configurations, content security policies, and network-level protections such as web application firewalls. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for phishing, as attackers would likely use compromised web pages to deliver exploits. The remediation process should also include monitoring for exploitation attempts and implementing security awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that might leverage these vulnerabilities.