Security bug found in latest version of Firefox

An unpatched vulnerability in version 3.5 of Firefox, which was released last month, could enable a hacker to remotely run arbitrary code on users' machines, security firm Secunia said in an advisory.

The vulnerability arises when the browser processes JavaScript code to handle HTML font tags, the advisory said. An exploit can cause a memory corruption buffer overflow, which could lead to a compromise on an affected system.

“If your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.) or its plug-ins (Adobe Flash Player, QuickTime, Sun Java, etc.) contain vulnerabilities, then you're exposed to security threats every single time you visit a website,” Secunia spokesman Mikkel Winther told SCMagazineUS.com in an email.

No patch is available yet from Mozilla, though exploit code has been posted on exploit repository milw0rm, which has reopened after temporarily shutting down.

Until a patch from Mozilla is available, US-CERT has encouraged users and administrators to disable JavaScript to mitigate any risks associated with the vulnerability. On its site, US-CERT describes a method to turn JavaScript off.

If that is untenable, Secunia said the best way to avoid being infected is to practise safe web surfing.

“We can only recommend that users refrain from visiting untrusted websites,” Winther said.


See original article on scmagazineus.com

Copyright © SC Magazine, US edition

What are your thoughts on this article? Add your comment below.

To begin commenting right away, you can log in below or register an account if you don't yet have one. Please read our guidelines on commenting. Offending posts will be removed and your access may be suspended. Abusive or obscene language will not be tolerated. The comments below do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of SC Magazine, Haymarket Media or its employees.

NOTE: You must be a registered member of SC Magazine to post a comment.

Click here to login | Click here to register
comments powered by Disqus
Sign up to receive SC Magazine email newsletters
   FOLLOW US...
Most Read