CVE-2024-1546 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2024
When storing and re-accessing data on a networking channel, the length of buffers may have been confused, resulting in an out-of-bounds memory read. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 123 and Firefox ESR < 115.8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory safety issue that manifests when Firefox processes network data through improperly managed buffer operations. The flaw occurs during the handling of data transmission and retrieval on networking channels where the application fails to correctly validate buffer length parameters. This mismanagement creates conditions where the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing application instability. The vulnerability affects both regular Firefox releases and the extended support release versions, indicating a widespread impact across the browser's user base. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices during network data processing operations, creating an attack surface where malicious actors could potentially exploit the out-of-bounds read conditions to extract information or disrupt normal browser operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices and buffer bounds. This flaw represents a specific manifestation of buffer overflow conditions where the application reads beyond allocated memory regions rather than writing beyond them. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of network protocol handling and memory management, where data received through networking channels is processed without adequate boundary checking. When Firefox encounters network data, it must properly calculate and validate buffer sizes before accessing memory locations, but the failure to perform these checks creates opportunities for out-of-bounds memory reads. The attack vector typically involves manipulating network traffic to trigger the condition where buffer length calculations become incorrect, leading to memory access violations that could expose system information or cause denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it represents a potential pathway for information disclosure and system compromise. Attackers could leverage this condition to read sensitive memory regions containing authentication tokens, session data, or other confidential information that might otherwise remain protected. The vulnerability's presence in both Firefox and Firefox ESR versions indicates that organizations relying on extended support releases are equally at risk, potentially leaving large user populations vulnerable to exploitation. Browser-based attacks exploiting such memory safety issues often fall under ATT&CK technique T1557.001, which covers "Adversary-in-the-Middle" attacks involving network traffic manipulation. The out-of-bounds read condition could also enable more sophisticated attacks such as heap spraying or information leakage that might be used as a precursor to more severe exploitation techniques, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where browser security is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment across all affected Firefox installations, with particular attention to organizations using Firefox ESR versions that have not yet received the relevant security updates. System administrators should prioritize updating to Firefox version 123 or Firefox ESR version 115.8, which contain the necessary fixes for the buffer length validation issues. Additionally, network monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual data patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation and traffic filtering to limit exposure to potentially malicious network data. The fix typically involves implementing proper input validation and boundary checking mechanisms during network data processing, ensuring that buffer length calculations are validated before any memory access operations occur. Security teams should also consider implementing additional runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of browser configurations and network traffic should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that might exist in other software components within the organization's attack surface.