Cloud Defense Logo

Products

Solutions

Company

CVE-2022-40960 : What You Need to Know

A use-after-free vulnerability in Mozilla products (Firefox ESR, Thunderbird, Firefox) could lead to exploitable crashes. Learn about CVE-2022-40960 impact, technical details, and mitigation.

A use-after-free vulnerability has been identified in Mozilla products, potentially leading to a crash. This CVE affects Firefox ESR, Thunderbird, and Firefox.

Understanding CVE-2022-40960

This section will cover the details of the CVE-2022-40960 vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2022-40960?

The vulnerability involves the concurrent use of the URL parser with non-UTF-8 data, which was not thread-safe. This flaw could result in a use-after-free scenario, leading to a potentially exploitable crash.

The Impact of CVE-2022-40960

CVE-2022-40960 affects Firefox ESR versions prior to 102.3, Thunderbird versions before 102.3, and Firefox versions before 105. If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to crash the application, potentially leading to further exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-40960

Let's delve into the specific technical aspects of CVE-2022-40960.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a data-race condition occurring when parsing non-UTF-8 URLs within threads in Mozilla products.

Affected Systems and Versions

Mozilla Firefox ESR versions earlier than 102.3, Thunderbird versions below 102.3, and Firefox versions prior to 105 are impacted by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the non-thread-safe URL parser, threat actors could exploit this vulnerability to trigger a use-after-free condition, leading to a crash.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard your systems from CVE-2022-40960, consider the following mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

        Update Mozilla Firefox ESR, Thunderbird, and Firefox to the patched versions (102.3 and 105).
        Exercise caution when accessing untrusted websites or clicking on suspicious links.

Long-Term Security Practices

        Implement regular security updates for all software applications running on your system.
        Deploy endpoint protection solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Mozilla and promptly apply recommended patches to secure your systems.

Popular CVEs

CVE Id

Published Date

Is your System Free of Underlying Vulnerabilities?
Find Out Now