CVE-2019-11729 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability in Mozilla products could lead to a segmentation fault when handling certain types of public keys.

Understanding CVE-2019-11729

This CVE identifies a specific issue in Mozilla Firefox ESR, Firefox, and Thunderbird versions.

What is CVE-2019-11729?

This vulnerability arises from the improper handling of empty or incorrectly formatted p256-ECDH public keys, potentially causing a segmentation fault due to memory misuse.

The Impact of CVE-2019-11729

The vulnerability affects specific versions of Firefox ESR, Firefox, and Thunderbird, potentially leading to crashes or other security compromises.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-11729

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Improper sanitization of p256-ECDH public keys before copying them into memory can trigger a segmentation fault.

Affected Systems and Versions

Firefox ESR versions less than 60.8
Firefox versions less than 68
Thunderbird versions less than 60.8

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by using empty or malformed p256-ECDH public keys, leading to a segmentation fault.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-11729 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected Mozilla products to the latest patched versions.
Avoid using untrusted or unknown public keys.
Monitor vendor advisories for security updates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent memory-related issues.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Mozilla to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.