Firefox Zero-Day Bugs Prompt Mozilla Emergency Update

  • By David Lukic
  • Published: Mar 11, 2022
  • Last Updated: Mar 18, 2022

Mozilla recently released an emergency update for its popular Firefox browser. The update pertains to several critical security flaws. Cyber miscreants have exploited those vulnerabilities as zero-day bugs.  

Why are the Mozilla Firefox Bugs a Problem?

The Mozilla Firefox critical zero-day bugs permit sandbox and remote code execution (RCE) escape. The bugs are considered use-after-free bugs, meaning they are memory corruption problems that arise when applications attempt to use memory assigned after that chunk is made available for use through a separate application. Such an issue has the potential to cause remote code escape, system crashes, and the corruption of data.

The initial bug acknowledged by Mozilla is referred to as CVE-2022-26485. This issue is considered to be a use-after-free bug within one of the web browser’s processing parameters. Such parameters generate stylesheets used to shape the user experience and aesthetic of a site. The bug is exploited by hackers without any privileges or account established on the target computer, meaning they are tricking that target machine into operating malware by setting a trap.

The second bug is also considered to be a user-after-free issue contained in the WebGPU IPC Framework. WebGPU is best described as a web API that provides support for multimedia on web pages with the use of graphics processing units to support video used for video games, three-dimensional modeling, and video conferencing.  

This second bug is also set up for sandbox escapes. Such a security flaw is abused in a silo, providing hackers with access to target computers’ files that should be fully secured. The security hole can also be compromised in unison with the use of an RCE bug that empowers malware to move away from browser security confines.

Did Mozilla Provide a Public Statement About the Bugs?

Indeed, Mozilla made a public statement indicating the removal of the XSLT parameter amidst processing has the potential to cause user-after-free exploitation. An unanticipated message within the WebGPU IPC framework can cause a sandbox escape that is exploitable.  

However, company representatives did not provide a significant amount of information in regard to technical details. The company’s logic in not delving deep into the nuances of the attack is to make subsequent exploitation that much more challenging for hackers.  

What Should Firefox Users do to Address the Bugs?

Mozilla encourages users to update their Firefox browser. The newer versions of the browser address the bugs detailed above. To be more specific, Mozilla recommends users update their browser to Firefox 97.0.2, Firefox ESR 91.6.1, Firefox for Android 97.3, Focus 97.3, or Thunderbird 91.6.2.  

If you have not yet updated your Firefox browser to one of the newer and safer versions, do so right away to sidestep the critical bugs detailed above. Furthermore, it is also in your interest to run a computer scan to identify threats that have the potential to steal your identity and sell it on the black market.

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