Slashdot Mirror
Security Issues in Mozilla
paulius_g writes "SecurityFocus has released a security warning with three problems that affect Mozilla on all platforms. The first issue allows the source of a download to be spoofed, generating a fake URL. This security issue is really easy to replicate: Create a long URL and the downloading box will only display its ending (Mozilla and Firefox). The second issue was created by the way that Mozilla's browsers handle news:// links to newsgroups, hackers can easily create false links and create a buffer overflow (Mozilla 1.7.5 and below, Firefox versions before 1.0). The third exploit affects machines with multiple users. The way that Firefox and Thunderbird store files allows every user to see them and to probably catch the other user's surfing habits (Firefox and Thunderbird). Let's hope that these will be fixed soon!"
==========
All Mozilla users should upgrade to the latest version:
Says the site, implying at least a partial fix is available.
All of these security issues are fixed in the latest releases of Firefox/Thunderbird/Seamonkey. They have all been fixed for quite some time now.
It would have been helpful for this information to be included in the story. Thanks, Slashdot.
This only applies to Windows platforms. Linux and Unix versions maintain all user information in the homedir, preventing access to ordinary users.
The Slashdot article, not security focus. In plain text, at the top, it says these were FIXED in the latest versions.
.9, and Mozilla BEFORE 1.7.5.
They affect Firefox versions BEFORE 1.0, Thunderbird BEFORE
This article was posted by some MS shill who is hoping the because Slashdot is spidered by Google news they will get some mainstream journalism about Firefoxes bugs!
This is TOTAL crap! Let the MS Smear campaign begin!
WhiteWolf666 an exBush supporter. All you new-school,compassionate,save the children Republicans can rot in hell
If I read TFA correctly, they're fixed already: Mozilla is listed as unaffected in >=1.7.5, Firefox unaffected in >=1.0, and Thunderbird unaffected in >=0.9.
Interestingly, the original bug report came from the Gentoo security people - is there anyone running Gentoo with anything other that the very latest apps?!
This is where the serious fun begins.
Apart from the first issue, of course, which reads:
"The vulnerability has been confirmed in Mozilla 1.7.3 for Linux, Mozilla 1.7.5 for Windows, and Mozilla Firefox 1.0. Other versions may also be affected."
So it's actually just one spoofing vulnerability. It's probably a result of fixing the bug in 0.9.something where an overly long (>4kb, IIRC) URL in the address bar could cause firefox to lock up the x-server.
Only the buffer overflow issue has been fixed! This article on the Register should clear things up:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/07/mozilla_fl aws/
Issue 2: Fixed (Affected Versions: Mozilla Browser
This bug is fixed in Mozilla 1.7.5. (Bug 264388)
Mozilla developer Dan Veditz claims that it cannot be exploitable:
"A '\' on the end will certainly trash memory, but at that point you're no
longer reading attacker-supplied data;".
So, at most it would be a DOS attack, not a true "hack into your computer". And from the Security focus link:
So Firefox 1.0 is indeed safe.
Issue #3:From the link:
In other words, 1 outdated, another unconfirmed, and the first one real, but it's moderately critical.
So the Mozilla guys have only to fix ONE bug, and CONFIRM another. Issue #2 is fixed already.