CVE-2023-37209 – This CVE describes a use-after-free vulnerabili... (How to Fix)

Q: How do I fix CVE-2023-37209?

1. Open Firefox. 2. Click menu → Help → About Firefox. 3. Firefox will check for and install updates automatically. 4. Restart Firefox when prompted.

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-37209?

CVE-2023-37209 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). This CVE describes a use-after-free vulnerability in Firefox's history handling mechanism. Attackers could potentially exploit this to execute arbitrary code or cause crashes by manipulating browser history. All Firefox users running versions below 115 are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE describes a use-after-free vulnerability in Firefox's history handling mechanism. Attackers could potentially exploit this to execute arbitrary code or cause crashes by manipulating browser history. All Firefox users running versions below 115 are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Mozilla Firefox

Versions: All versions < 115

Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: All standard Firefox installations are vulnerable. Extensions or custom configurations don't affect vulnerability status.

📦 What is this software?

Firefox by Mozilla

View all CVEs affecting Firefox →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment.

🟠

Likely Case

Browser crash or denial of service, potentially enabling sandbox escape in combination with other vulnerabilities.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact due to Firefox's sandboxing and exploit mitigations, possibly just a crash.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires user interaction (visiting malicious website). No public exploit code has been disclosed.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Firefox 115 and later

Vendor Advisory: https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2023-22/

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Open Firefox. 2. Click menu → Help → About Firefox. 3. Firefox will check for and install updates automatically. 4. Restart Firefox when prompted.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable JavaScript

all

Temporarily disable JavaScript to prevent exploitation vectors

about:config → javascript.enabled = false

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict browser to trusted websites only using network policies
Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized Firefox execution

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check Firefox version in Help → About Firefox. If version is below 115, system is vulnerable.

Check Version:

firefox --version

Verify Fix Applied:

Confirm Firefox version is 115 or higher in Help → About Firefox.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Multiple Firefox crash reports
Unexpected browser restarts

Network Indicators:

Connections to known malicious domains triggering browser crashes

SIEM Query:

source="firefox.log" AND ("crash" OR "segfault")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-37209

CVSS v3 Score: 8.8 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-416

Published: July 5, 2023

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1837993 Issue Tracking,Permissions Required
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202401-10
https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2023-22/ Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1837993 Issue Tracking,Permissions Required
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202401-10
https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2023-22/ Vendor Advisory

📤 Share & Export

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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