CVE-2018-5116 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2018-5116 affecting older Firefox versions. Malicious extensions can bypass same-origin restrictions, injecting frames from any source.
This CVE-2018-5116 article provides insights into a vulnerability affecting older versions of Firefox.
Understanding CVE-2018-5116
What is CVE-2018-5116?
Extensions with the "ActiveTab" permission in Firefox versions older than 58 can access frames from any source within the active tab, bypassing same-origin restrictions.
The Impact of CVE-2018-5116
This vulnerability allows malicious extensions to inject frames from arbitrary origins into the loaded page, potentially compromising user security and privacy.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-5116
Vulnerability Description
WebExtensions with the "ActiveTab" permission can interact with frames from different origins, violating same-origin policies.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Firefox
- Vendor: Mozilla
- Versions Affected: < 58
Exploitation Mechanism
Malicious extensions exploit the ActiveTab permission to inject frames from any source into the active tab, enabling unauthorized interactions.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Firefox to version 58 or newer to mitigate this vulnerability.
- Regularly review and remove unnecessary extensions to reduce the attack surface.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Be cautious when granting permissions to browser extensions.
- Monitor extension behavior and restrict permissions to essential functions only.
Patching and Updates
- Stay informed about security advisories from Mozilla and promptly apply recommended patches and updates.