CVE-2024-6604 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE • 07/09/2024
Memory safety bugs present in Firefox 127, Firefox ESR 115.12, and Thunderbird 115.12. 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 < 128 and Firefox ESR < 115.13.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory safety issue affecting Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird products across multiple versions. The flaw manifests as memory safety bugs that have been identified in Firefox version 127, Firefox ESR version 115.12, and Thunderbird version 115.12, with the affected software versions extending to Firefox < 128 and Firefox ESR < 115.13. These memory safety vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they demonstrate evidence of memory corruption, which creates potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise affected systems. The presence of memory corruption indicates that the underlying software has mechanisms that allow for improper memory handling, potentially leading to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory-related exploits.
The technical nature of these memory safety bugs falls under the broader category of software vulnerabilities that can be classified as CWE-119, which addresses "Improper Access to Memory" or more specifically CWE-787, "Out-of-bounds Write." Such vulnerabilities typically occur when software fails to properly validate memory boundaries during operations, allowing attackers to manipulate memory contents in ways that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The fact that these bugs have shown evidence of memory corruption suggests that attackers could potentially exploit these weaknesses to overwrite critical memory locations, manipulate program execution flow, or inject malicious code into the affected applications. The vulnerability impacts not only the primary browser but also the email client Thunderbird, indicating a widespread issue within the Mozilla product ecosystem.
From an operational perspective, the impact of these memory safety bugs extends beyond simple functionality degradation to potential system compromise. The presumption that these vulnerabilities could be exploited to run arbitrary code means that successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data theft, system infiltration, or further propagation within network environments. This risk is particularly elevated given that the vulnerable versions include both regular Firefox releases and the extended support release (ESR) versions, which are commonly used in enterprise environments where security is paramount. The attack surface is broad as these vulnerabilities affect widely deployed software products that handle sensitive user data and network communications.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through patch management processes to upgrade to Firefox 128 and Firefox ESR 115.13 or later versions where these memory safety issues have been addressed. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts, as memory corruption vulnerabilities often leave detectable traces in system logs or network traffic. The mitigation strategy should include not only patch deployment but also user education about the risks of visiting untrusted websites or opening suspicious email attachments, which could serve as initial attack vectors for exploitation. Security teams should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and sandboxing mechanisms to limit the potential impact if exploitation were to occur despite preventive measures. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as the exploitation could leverage browser-based scripting environments to execute malicious code, making comprehensive endpoint protection essential.