CVE-2023-5174

If Windows failed to duplicate a handle during process creation, the sandbox code may have inadvertently freed a pointer twice, resulting in a use-after-free…

Critical · published September 27, 2023

CVSS v3.1
9.8
EPSS
1%
Percentile
67.9
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🚨 A use-after-free bug in Firefox could crash your browser with a single mismanaged handle! 🔥 Think of it like a restaurant trying to seat customers at a table that's already been cleared. If someone mistakenly tries to pull up a chair that’s no longer there, the whole dining experience can turn disastrous! If exploited, this vulnerability can lead to crashing the Firefox browser, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the system. Imagine your browser shutting down at the worst possible moment—like losing your entire order right before dessert!

Put simply

Think of it like a restaurant trying to seat customers at a table that's already been cleared. If someone mistakenly tries to pull up a chair that’s no longer there, the whole dining experience can turn disastrous! This use-after-free vulnerability occurs when Firefox on Windows fails to properly duplicate a handle during process creation, leading to an incorrect memory reference and subsequent crash. It's a tricky situation, only arising in non-standard configurations like using `runas`.

What to do

If exploited, this vulnerability can lead to crashing the Firefox browser, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the system. Imagine your browser shutting down at the worst possible moment—like losing your entire order right before dessert! Update to Firefox version 118 or later, or Thunderbird version 115.3 or later to close this critical vulnerability. If you’re in a non-standard setup, review your configurations and avoid unintentional handle manipulations. 🛡️ You've got this! Stay updated and keep your browser safe! 🤓✨

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
9.8 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01200 · 67.9th percentile
Published
2023-09-27T14:13Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 27 SEP 14:13Z
    If Windows failed to duplicate a handle during process creation, the sandbox code may have inadvertently freed a pointer twice, resulting in a use-after-free…
    cvelistv5