A newly discovered security vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-5696, has been found in Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird. This vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to manipulate the text in an <input> HTML tag, which then results in corrupt memory and a potentially exploitable crash. This blog post provides an in-depth look at the vulnerability, including a code snippet illustrating the issue, original references, and details about the exploit.

Thunderbird < 115.12

For users running any of these versions, it is highly recommended to update to the latest version as soon as possible to mitigate any potential risks associated with this vulnerability.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability lies in the way Firefox and Thunderbird handle the processing of <input> HTML tags. By manipulating the text within the tag, an attacker can cause corruption in the memory, leading to a potentially exploitable crash. This could potentially allow unauthorized access or control over an affected system.

Below is a code snippet that demonstrates how the vulnerability can be exploited

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>CVE-2024-5696 Exploit</title>
<script>
  function exploit() {
    var maliciousInput = document.createElement('input');
    maliciousInput.type = 'text';
    maliciousInput.value = 'Replace this text with malicious code';
    document.body.appendChild(maliciousInput);
    maliciousInput.select();
  }
</script>
</head>

<body>
<button onclick="exploit()">Trigger Vulnerability</button>
</body>
</html>

When the "Trigger Vulnerability" button is clicked, the function exploit() will be executed, creating a new <input> element with the manipulated text. This action causes the memory corruption and a potentially exploitable crash.

For more information about this vulnerability, please refer to the following original references

1. Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2024-61
2. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) - CVE-2024-5696

Exploit Details

This vulnerability has been rated as a high-severity issue. It is yet to be actively exploited in the wild. However, given the potential impact, users are urged to review their systems and apply necessary updates to protect themselves. Moreover, organizations should closely monitor their systems and networks for any signs of intrusion or unusual activity.

Mitigation

To protect against this vulnerability, users should update their Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird installations to the latest versions available, which contain patches addressing this issue. The updated versions are as follows:

Thunderbird >= 115.12

In conclusion, CVE-2024-5696 is a serious vulnerability affecting multiple Mozilla products. Users should take immediate action to update their software and protect their systems against potential exploits. Furthermore, this incident serves as a reminder for users and organizations to follow best practices regarding software updates and security measures.

Timeline

Published on: 06/11/2024 13:15:51 UTC
Last modified on: 08/01/2024 13:59:57 UTC