CVE-2018-12367 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2018-12367 was published on October 18, 2018, affecting Mozilla Thunderbird, Firefox ESR, and Firefox browsers. The vulnerability allowed for a high-precision timer exploit due to unmitigated PerformanceNavigationTiming.

Understanding CVE-2018-12367

This CVE impacts Thunderbird versions prior to 60, Firefox ESR versions prior to 60.1, and Firefox versions prior to 61.

What is CVE-2018-12367?

In the context of mitigating the Spectre vulnerability, certain methods' precision was reduced to prevent precise time measurements. However, PerformanceNavigationTiming was left unmodified, leading to its exploitation as a high-precision timer.

The Impact of CVE-2018-12367

The vulnerability affects Thunderbird, Firefox ESR, and Firefox, potentially allowing malicious actors to exploit the high-precision timer for unauthorized activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-12367

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the unmitigated use of PerformanceNavigationTiming as a high-precision timer, enabling potential exploitation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Thunderbird versions prior to 60
Firefox ESR versions prior to 60.1
Firefox versions prior to 61

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious actors could exploit the unmitigated PerformanceNavigationTiming to gain access to sensitive information or execute unauthorized actions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Thunderbird, Firefox ESR, and Firefox to versions 60, 60.1, and 61 respectively.
Implement browser security best practices to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Monitor security advisories from Mozilla and other trusted sources.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest security patches provided by Mozilla to address the CVE-2018-12367 vulnerability.