Mozilla Firefox up to 51.x Selection use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Mozilla Firefox up to 51.x. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Selection Handler. Such manipulation leads to use after free. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2017-5404. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Furthermore, an exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Mozilla Firefox up to 51.x (Web Browser). Affected by this issue is an unknown code block of the component Selection Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

A use-after-free error can occur when manipulating ranges in selections with one node inside a native anonymous tree and one node outside of it. This results in a potentially exploitable crash. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 52, Firefox ESR < 45.8, Thunderbird < 52, and Thunderbird < 45.8.

The bug was discovered 03/07/2017. The weakness was published 03/07/2017 by Ivan Fratric (Nils) with Google Project Zero as MFSA 2017-05 as confirmed security advisory (Website). The advisory is shared for download at mozilla.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2017-5404 since 01/13/2017. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. As 0-day the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 101437 (Virtuozzo 6 : thunderbird (VZLSA-2017-0498)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Virtuozzo Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 157398 (Oracle Enterprise Linux Security Update for firefox (ELSA-2017-0461)).

Upgrading to version 52 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (41660), Tenable (101437), SecurityFocus (BID 96664†) and SecurityTracker (ID 1037966†). Similar entries are available at VDB-97756, VDB-97757, VDB-97758 and VDB-97759. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

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Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.7

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.7
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 9.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 101437
Nessus Name: Virtuozzo 6 : thunderbird (VZLSA-2017-0498)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 881932
OpenVAS Name: CentOS Update for thunderbird CESA-2017:0498 centos7
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Firefox 52

Timelineinfo

01/13/2017 🔍
03/07/2017 +53 days 🔍
03/07/2017 +0 days 🔍
03/07/2017 +0 days 🔍
03/08/2017 +1 days 🔍
03/08/2017 +0 days 🔍
03/10/2017 +2 days 🔍
07/13/2017 +125 days 🔍
06/11/2018 +332 days 🔍
11/26/2025 +2725 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: mozilla.org
Product: mozilla.org

Advisory: MFSA 2017-05
Researcher: Ivan Fratric (Nils)
Organization: Google Project Zero
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2017-5404 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2017-5404
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-97760

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 96664 - Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird Multiple Use After Free Denial of Service Vulnerabilities
OSVDB: - CVE-2017-5404 - Mozilla - Firefox - Use-After-Free Issue
SecurityTracker: 1037966

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 03/10/2017 08:14
Updated: 11/26/2025 02:54
Changes: 03/10/2017 08:14 (81), 08/18/2020 12:22 (12), 04/04/2025 07:07 (16), 11/26/2025 02:54 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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