Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability in Mozilla

Reported July 9, 2004, by MozillaSecurity Group

VERSIONS AFFECTED

DESCRIPTION
Windows versions of Mozilla products use the shell: scheme to pass UniformResource Identifiers (URIs) to the OS for handling. The effects of thevulnerability depend on the version of Windows, but on Windows XP it's possibleto launch executables in known locations or the default handlers for fileextensions. An attacker could combine this effect with a known buffer overrunin any of the affected Mozilla programs to create a remote execution exploit.

VENDOR RESPONSE
The Mozilla Foundation hasreleased the securitybulletin "What Mozilla users should know about the shell: protocolsecurity issue," which addresses this vulnerability, and recommends thataffected users immediately apply the appropriate patch listed in the bulletinor upgrade to the latest software release.

CREDIT
Discovered by Keith McCanless.