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Mozilla Products Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution – PATCH: NOW – TLP: CLEAR

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TLP:CLEAR
MS-ISAC CYBERSECURITY ADVISORY

MS-ISAC ADVISORY NUMBER:
2023-144

DATE(S) ISSUED:
12/20/2023

SUBJECT:
Multiple Vulnerabilities in Mozilla Products Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution

OVERVIEW:
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Mozilla products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. 

  • Mozilla Firefox is a web browser used to access the Internet.
  • Mozilla Firefox ESR is a version of the web browser intended to be deployed in large organizations.
  • Mozilla Thunderbird is an email client.

Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.

THREAT INTELLIGENCE:
There are currently no reports of these vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild.

SYSTEMS AFFECTED:

  • Firefox versions prior to 121
  • Firefox ESR versions prior to 115.6
  • Thunderbird versions prior to 115.6

 

RISK:
Government:

  • Large and medium government entities: High
  • Small government entities: Medium

 

Businesses:

  • Large and medium business entities: High
  • Small business entities: Medium

Home users: Low

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Mozilla products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Details of these vulnerabilities are as follows:

Tactic: Initial Access (TA0001):
     Technique: Drive-by Compromise (T1189):

  • Memory safety bugs fixed in Firefox 121, Firefox ESR 115.6, and Thunderbird 115.6 (CVE-2023-6864)
  • Memory safety bugs fixed in Firefox 121 (CVE-2023-6873)

Additional lower severity vulnerabilities include: 

  • CVE-2023-6135: NSS susceptible to “Minerva” attack
  • CVE-2023-6856: Heap-buffer-overflow affecting WebGL DrawElementsInstanced method with Mesa VM driver
  • CVE-2023-6857: Symlinks may resolve to smaller than expected buffers
  • CVE-2023-6858: Heap buffer overflow in nsTextFragment
  • CVE-2023-6859: Use-after-free in PR_GetIdentitiesLayer
  • CVE-2023-6860: Potential sandbox escape due to VideoBridge lack of texture validation
  • CVE-2023-6861: Heap buffer overflow affected nsWindow::PickerOpen(void) in headless mode
  • CVE-2023-6862: Use-after-free in nsDNSService
  • CVE-2023-6863: Undefined behavior in ShutdownObserver()
  • CVE-2023-6865: Potential exposure of uninitialized data in EncryptingOutputStream
  • CVE-2023-6866: TypedArrays lack sufficient exception handling
  • CVE-2023-6867: Clickjacking permission prompts using the popup transition
  • CVE-2023-6868: WebPush requests on Firefox for Android did not require VAPID key
  • CVE-2023-6869: Content can paint outside of sandboxed iframe
  • CVE-2023-6870: Android Toast notifications may obscure fullscreen event notifications
  • CVE-2023-6871: Lack of protocol handler warning in some instances
  • CVE-2023-6872: Browsing history leaked to syslogs via GNOME
  • CVE-2023-50761: S/MIME signature accepted despite mismatching message date
  • CVE-2023-50762: Truncated signed text was shown with a valid OpenPGP signature

Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
We recommend the following actions be taken:

  • Apply appropriate updates provided by Mozilla to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Update Software)
    • Safeguard 7.1: Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for enterprise assets. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
    • Safeguard 7.4: Perform Automated Application Patch Management: Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.
    • Safeguard 7.7: Remediate Detected Vulnerabilities: Remediate detected vulnerabilities in software through processes and tooling on a monthly, or more frequent, basis, based on the remediation process.
    • Safeguard 9.1: Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and Email Clients: Ensure only fully supported browsers and email clients are allowed to execute in the enterprise, only using the latest version of browsers and email clients provided through the vendor.
  • Apply the Principle of Least Privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as a non-privileged user (one without administrative privileges) to diminish the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Privileged Account Management)
    • Safeguard 4.7: Manage Default Accounts on Enterprise Assets and Software: Manage default accounts on enterprise assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other pre-configured vendor accounts. Example implementations can include: disabling default accounts or making them unusable.
    • Safeguard 5.4: Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts: Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged account.
  • Use capabilities to detect and block conditions that may lead to or be indicative of a software exploit occurring. (M1050: Exploit Protection)
    1. Safeguard 10.5: Enable Anti-Exploitation Features: Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.
  • Restrict use of certain websites, block downloads/attachments, block JavaScript, restrict browser extensions, etc. (M1021: Restrict Web-Based Content)
    1. Safeguard 9.2: Use DNS Filtering Services: Use DNS filtering services on all enterprise assets to block access to known malicious domains.
    2. Safeguard 9.3: Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters: Enforce and update network-based URL filters to limit an enterprise asset from connecting to potentially malicious or unapproved websites. Example implementations include category-based filtering, reputation-based filtering, or through the use of block lists. Enforce filters for all enterprise assets.
    3. Safeguard 9.6: Block Unnecessary File Types: Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email gateway.
  • Block execution of code on a system through application control, and/or script blocking. (M1038: Execution Prevention)
    • Safeguard 2.5: Allowlist Authorized Software: Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
    • Safeguard 2.6: Allowlist Authorized Libraries: Use technical controls to ensure that only authorized software libraries, such as specific .dll, .ocx, .so, etc., files, are allowed to load into a system process. Block unauthorized libraries from loading into a system process. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
    • Safeguard 2.7: Allowlist Authorized Scripts: Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
  • Use capabilities to prevent suspicious behavior patterns from occurring on endpoint systems. This could include suspicious process, file, API call, etc. behavior. (M1040: Behavior Prevention on Endpoint)
    • Safeguard 13.2: Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Detection Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion detection solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported.
    • Safeguard 13.7: Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Prevention Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion prevention solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported. Example implementations include use of an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) client or host-based IPS agent.
  • Inform and educate users regarding the threats posed by hypertext links contained in emails or attachments especially from un-trusted sources. Remind users not to visit un-trusted websites or follow links provided by unknown or un-trusted sources. (M1017: User Training)
    • Safeguard 14.1: Establish and Maintain a Security Awareness Program: Establish and maintain a security awareness program. The purpose of a security awareness program is to educate the enterprise’s workforce on how to interact with enterprise assets and data in a secure manner. Conduct training at hire and, at a minimum, annually. Review and update content annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
    • Safeguard 14.2: Train Workforce Members to Recognize Social Engineering Attacks: Train workforce members to recognize social engineering attacks, such as phishing, pre-texting, and tailgating.

REFERENCES:

Mozilla:
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2023-54/
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2023-55/
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2023-56/

CVE:
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6135
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6856
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6857
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6858
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6859
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6860
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6861
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6862
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6863
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6865
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6866
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6867
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6868
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6869
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6870
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6871
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6872​​​​​​
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-50761
https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-50762

Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC)
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East Greenbush, NY 12061

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