CVE-2024-0742 in Thunderbird
Summary
by MITRE • 01/23/2024
It was possible for certain browser prompts and dialogs to be activated or dismissed unintentionally by the user due to an incorrect timestamp used to prevent input after page load. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 122, Firefox ESR < 115.7, and Thunderbird < 115.7.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical timing attack surface within web browser security mechanisms that undermines user interaction controls and potentially enables malicious exploitation. The flaw resides in how browsers handle timestamp validation for user interface prompts and dialog systems, specifically affecting Firefox and Thunderbird applications across multiple versions. The vulnerability stems from an incorrect timestamp implementation that fails to properly validate when user interactions should be permitted or restricted after page load completion. This creates a window where malicious actors could potentially manipulate user interactions through timing-based attacks that exploit the flawed validation logic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability operates through improper timestamp handling within the browser's user interface subsystem, where the system fails to accurately track when page loading operations complete and when user prompts should become active or inactive. This incorrect timestamp mechanism allows for race conditions where user input events can be processed at inappropriate times, potentially enabling unauthorized activation or dismissal of security-related dialogs. The flaw specifically impacts browser prompts that are designed to prevent certain user interactions during page load phases, creating a scenario where these protective mechanisms can be bypassed through carefully timed user actions or automated scripts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple usability concerns to potentially enable more serious security exploits. Attackers could leverage this timing flaw to manipulate security dialogs that typically appear during page load to warn users about potentially dangerous operations or to confirm sensitive actions. This could result in unauthorized execution of actions, bypass of security warnings, or manipulation of user consent flows that are critical for maintaining browser security postures. The vulnerability affects not only standard web browsing but also email client functionality, as Thunderbird shares many of the same browser engine components and security mechanisms. This cross-application impact increases the potential attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where both browsers and email clients are extensively used.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application of security patches to all affected versions of Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird. System administrators should prioritize updating to the latest stable releases that contain the corrected timestamp validation logic. Organizations should implement monitoring for suspicious user interaction patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around security dialog activation times. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which addresses race conditions in security-critical code paths, and potentially maps to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation through UI manipulation. Additional defensive measures include browser hardening configurations that limit the ability of web content to manipulate user interface elements and implementation of more robust input validation mechanisms that prevent timing-based attacks against security controls.