Out-of-bounds write in Mozilla Firefox
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 9 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-787 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
Mozilla developers reported memory safety bugs present in Firefox 85 and Firefox ESR 78.7. 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 < 86, Thunderbird < 78.8, and Firefox ESR < 78.8.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozilla | Firefox | before 86 | 86 | Patch available | CNA |
| Mozilla | Thunderbird | before 78.8 | 78.8 | Patch available | CNA |
| Mozilla | Firefox ESR | before 78.8 | 78.8 | Patch available | CNA |
- Firefox VendorMozilla Affected before 86 Fixed in 86 Patch available CNA
- Thunderbird VendorMozilla Affected before 78.8 Fixed in 78.8 Patch available CNA
- Firefox ESR VendorMozilla Affected before 78.8 Fixed in 78.8 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 86.0 | Vulnerable | Mozilla |
| cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox_esr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 78.8 | Vulnerable | Mozilla |
| cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 78.8 | Vulnerable | Mozilla |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 9.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 86.0 Vulnerable ·Mozilla
- cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox_esr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 78.8 Vulnerable ·Mozilla
- cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 78.8 Vulnerable ·Mozilla
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Firefox (Mozilla) Fixed in 86
- Fix · CNA Thunderbird (Mozilla) Fixed in 78.8
- Fix · CNA Firefox ESR (Mozilla) Fixed in 78.8
Red Hat 8 advisories
- RHSA-2021:0661 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Importantthunderbird security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- RHSA-2021:0656 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Criticalfirefox security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) firefox-78.8.0-1.el7_9
- RHSA-2021:0662 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Importantthunderbird security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.2) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el8_2
Show 5 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2021:0660 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Criticalfirefox security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.2) firefox-78.8.0-1.el8_2
- RHSA-2021:0658 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Importantthunderbird security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.1) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el8_1
- RHSA-2021:0657 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Importantthunderbird security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) thunderbird-78.8.0-1.el8_3
- RHSA-2021:0659 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Criticalfirefox security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.1) firefox-78.8.0-1.el8_1
- RHSA-2021:0655 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating Criticalfirefox security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) firefox-78.8.0-1.el8_3
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Advisory ·
Mozilla Firefox, Firefox ESR, Thunderbird — GLSA-202104-10
12 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 2 MEDIUM, 10 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2021-06293 One phishing tactic on the web is to provide a link with HTTP Auth.Priority MEDIUM 40
- TI-2021-06297 Clickjacking in Mozilla FirefoxPriority LOW 37
- TI-2021-06284 Further techniques that built on the slipstream research combined with a malicious…Priority LOW 35
- Advisory ·
Mozilla Firefox, Firefox ESR, Thunderbird — GLSA-202104-09
5 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 1 MEDIUM, 4 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2021-06284 Further techniques that built on the slipstream research combined with a malicious…Priority LOW 35
- TI-2021-06294 Information disclosure through error messages in Mozilla FirefoxPriority LOW 32
- TI-2021-06289 Information disclosure through error messages in Mozilla FirefoxPriority LOW 23
Show 1 more group
- Advisory ·
Mozilla Firefox, Firefox ESR, Thunderbird — DSA-4866
4 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 1 MEDIUM, 3 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2021-06294 Information disclosure through error messages in Mozilla FirefoxPriority LOW 32
- TI-2021-06289 Information disclosure through error messages in Mozilla FirefoxPriority LOW 23
- TI-2021-06290 As specified in the W3C Content Security Policy draft, when creating a violation report…Priority LOW 22
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0655, RHSA-2021:0657 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.1) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0658, RHSA-2021:0659 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 8.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0660, RHSA-2021:0662 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656, RHSA-2021:0661 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656, RHSA-2021:0661 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656, RHSA-2021:0661 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0656 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-23978
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-3rjx-v36w-2rw5
References
Advisory 8
- https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-07/
- https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-09/
- https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-08/
- https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?bug_id=786797%2C1682928%2C1687391%2C1687597
- [debian-lts-announce] 20210301 [SECURITY] [DLA 2578-1] thunderbird security update
- DSA-4866
- GLSA-202104-10
- GLSA-202104-09
More Mozilla Firefox vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-08981 Use after free in Mozilla Firefox KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2022-09832 Use after free in Mozilla Firefox KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.6
- TI-2019-08769 Improper input validation in Mozilla Firefox ESR KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2010-03577 Mozilla Firefox 3.5.x through 3.5.14 and 3.6.x through 3.6.11, Thunderbird 3.1.6 before… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-04799 Out-of-bounds write in Google Chrome KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-04477 Out-of-bounds write in Google Chrome KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2021-23978 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-23978 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-3rjx-v36w-2rw5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-23978 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences