CVE-2024-10468 in Thunderbird
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2024
Potential race conditions in IndexedDB could have caused memory corruption, leading to a potentially exploitable crash. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 132 and Thunderbird < 132.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-10468 represents a critical race condition flaw within the IndexedDB implementation of Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird applications. This issue stems from improper synchronization mechanisms during concurrent database operations, creating opportunities for memory corruption that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to Firefox 132 and Thunderbird 132, indicating a widespread concern across the Mozilla ecosystem where IndexedDB serves as a fundamental component for client-side data storage and retrieval.
The technical flaw manifests through race conditions in the IndexedDB storage subsystem where multiple threads or processes attempt to access and modify database resources simultaneously without adequate locking mechanisms. When concurrent operations occur during database transactions, the absence of proper synchronization can lead to inconsistent memory states and unpredictable behavior. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions in software development where multiple threads or processes access shared resources concurrently without proper protection mechanisms. The flaw enables an attacker to manipulate the timing of concurrent operations to trigger memory corruption, potentially resulting in application crashes or more severe exploitation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as memory corruption issues can provide attackers with opportunities for privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution. When Firefox or Thunderbird experiences crashes due to this race condition, the memory corruption could be leveraged to execute malicious payloads within the browser's security context. This represents a significant concern given that IndexedDB is commonly used for storing sensitive user data including authentication tokens, browsing history, and personal information. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers command and scripting interpreter execution through browser-based attacks, as the corrupted memory state could enable attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts within the browser environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-10468 primarily focus on immediate version updates to Firefox 132 and Thunderbird 132, where Mozilla has implemented proper synchronization mechanisms to address the race condition vulnerabilities. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict content security policies, enabling sandboxing features, and conducting regular security assessments of browser-based applications that utilize IndexedDB. Security teams should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying anomalous database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on concurrent access scenarios that could trigger the race condition. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper concurrent programming practices and the need for thorough testing of multi-threaded applications to prevent similar issues in the future.