Memory Corruption Vulnerability in Firefox and Thunderbird

CVE-2025-9179

What is CVE-2025-9179?

CVE-2025-9179 is a memory corruption vulnerability identified in Mozilla's popular applications, Firefox and Thunderbird. These products are widely used for web browsing and email communication, respectively. The vulnerability exists within the GMP (Gecko Media Plugin) process, which is responsible for handling encrypted media content. While this process operates in a heavily sandboxed environment designed to limit the impact of potential exploits, it still possesses distinct privileges that differ from the content process. Consequently, the vulnerability could enable an attacker to manipulate memory in ways that may disrupt the integrity and security of the applications, potentially leading to unauthorized access or control over user systems. Affected versions include Firefox versions prior to 142, various editions of Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird versions below 142.

Potential impact of CVE-2025-9179

1. Unauthorized Code Execution: The memory corruption could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the affected applications, leading to unauthorized access to user data and system resources.

2. Data Breach Risks: Exploiting this vulnerability may expose sensitive user information, including personally identifiable information (PII) and credentials, heightening the risk of data breaches and identity theft for individuals and organizations.

3. Enhanced Attack Surface: Given the applications' extensive use, the vulnerability could serve as an entry point for further attacks, allowing threat actors to escalate privileges, deploy malware, or pivot to other systems within an organization's network.

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