http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=23085
:rant:
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this is true - the important thing is how quickly a fix is brought out.
Heh, i'd love to see the hole list for IE ;)
just can be bothered to update
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05..._0day_exploit/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/120756Quote:
Firefox exploit targets zero day vulns
By John Leyden
Published Monday 9th May 2005 11:38 GMT
Security researchers have discovered two unpatched vulnerabilities in Firefox, the popular alternative web browser. The security bugs affect even the latest version of Firefox (version 1.0.3) and create a means for attackers to seize control of vulnerable systems using cross-site scripting attacks.
One vulnerability enables arbitrary JavaScript code with escalated privileges to be executed via a specially crafted JavaScript URL. Successful exploitation requires that a site is allowed to install software (default sites are "update.mozilla.org" and "addons.mozilla.org"). This would normally drastically reduce the scope for mischief - but for a second security bug, involving "IFRAME" JavaScript URLs, which creates a means to execute arbitrary HTML and script code in the context of an arbitrary site.
A combination of the two vulnerabilities can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, according to Danish security firm Secunia. Exploit code is publicly available greatly increasing the chance of attack, it warns. The vulnerabilities - described by Secunia as "extremely critical" - have been confirmed in version 1.0.3 of Firefox. Other versions may also be affected.
Users are advised to disable JavaScript and the software installation option within Firefox pending a more comprehensive fix from the Mozilla Foundation. ®
Quote:
Critical Flaw Found in Firefox
Matthew Broersma, Techworld.com Mon May 9,11:00 AM ET
Firefox has unpatched "extremely critical" security holes and exploit code is already circulating on the Net, security researchers have warned.
The two unpatched flaws in the Mozilla browser could allow an attacker to take control of your system.
A patch is expected shortly, but in the meantime users can protect themselves by switching off JavaScript. In addition, the Mozilla Foundation has now made the flaws effectively impossible to exploit by changes to the server-side download mechanism on the update.mozilla.org and addons.mozilla.org sites, according to security experts.
The flaws were confidentially reported to the Foundation on May 2, but by Saturday details had been leaked and were reported by several security organizations, including the French Security Incident Response Team (FrSIRT). Danish security firm Secunia marked the exploit as "extremely critical", its most serious rating, the first time it has given a Firefox flaw this rating.
In recent months Firefox has gained significant market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, partly because it is considered less vulnerable to attacks. However, industry observers have long warned that the browser is more secure partly because of its relatively small user base. As Firefox's profile grows, attackers will increasingly target the browser.
Two Vulnerabilities Found
The exploit, discovered by Paul of Greyhats Security Group and Michael "mikx" Krax, makes use of two separate vulnerabilities. An attacker could create a malicious page using frames and a JavaScript history flaw to make software installations appear to be coming from a "trusted" site. By default, Firefox allows software installations from update.mozilla.org and addons.mozilla.org, but users can add their own sites to this whitelist.
The second part of the exploit triggers software installation using an input verification bug in the "IconURL" parameter in the install mechanism. The effect is that a user could click on an icon and trigger the execution of malicious JavaScript code. Because the code is executed from the browser's user interface, it has the same privileges as the user running Firefox, according to researchers.
Mozilla Foundation said it has protected most users from the exploit by altering the software installation mechanism on its two whitelisted sites. However, users may be vulnerable if they have added other sites to the whitelist, it warned.
"We believe this means that users who have not added any additional sites to their software installation whitelist are no longer at risk," Mozilla Foundation said in a statement published on Mozillazine.org.
I never used Firefox because of security, I use it because it's standards compliant.