CVE-2020-26974 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2020-26974, an incorrect cast vulnerability in Firefox, Thunderbird, and Firefox ESR versions less than specified. Find out the impact, affected systems, and mitigation steps.
A vulnerability in Firefox, Thunderbird, and Firefox ESR versions prior to specified versions could lead to memory corruption and potential crashes.
Understanding CVE-2020-26974
This CVE involves an incorrect cast of StyleGenericFlexBasis, resulting in a heap use-after-free vulnerability.
What is CVE-2020-26974?
When flex-basis was applied to a table wrapper, an incorrect cast could lead to memory corruption and potentially exploitable crashes in Firefox, Thunderbird, and Firefox ESR.
The Impact of CVE-2020-26974
The vulnerability could result in a heap user-after-free, memory corruption, and potentially exploitable crashes in the affected software versions.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-26974
Vulnerability Description
An incorrect cast of StyleGenericFlexBasis could lead to memory corruption and crashes.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Firefox versions less than 84
- Thunderbird versions less than 78.6
- Firefox ESR versions less than 78.6
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability occurs when flex-basis is used on a table wrapper, causing an incorrect cast and subsequent memory corruption.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Firefox, Thunderbird, and Firefox ESR to versions 84, 78.6, or higher.
- Monitor vendor security advisories for patches.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software to the latest versions.
- Implement secure coding practices to prevent memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Apply patches provided by Mozilla for Firefox, Thunderbird, and Firefox ESR to address the vulnerability.