# CVE-2010-3171: Weak cryptography in n/a

> Weak random number seeding in Firefox allows remote attackers to track users or facilitate phishing attacks by predicting random values.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v4fq-jrv5-w6jf

## What is CVE-2010-3171?

CVE-2010-3171 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 15 Sep 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Math.random function in the JavaScript implementation in Mozilla Firefox 3.5.10 through 3.5.11, 3.6.4 through 3.6.8, and 4.0 Beta1 uses a random number generator that is seeded only once per document object, which makes it easier for remote attackers to track a user, or trick a user into acting upon a spoofed pop-up message, by calculating the seed value, related to a "temporary footprint" and an "in-session phishing attack." NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2008-5913.

Weakness: CWE-310

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-3171?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mozilla Firefox.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-3171?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-3171 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-3171 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-3171 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Mozilla Firefox 3.6.8 - 'Math.random()' Cross Domain Information Disclosure (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox

- [CVE-2019-11708](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11708/): Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird Sandbox Escape (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-3765](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3765/): Mozilla Multiple Products Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-26486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26486/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-26485](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26485/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-11707](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11707/): Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird Type Confusion (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-3171 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-3171 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 15 Sep 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-3171 exists.

Affected product: Mozilla Firefox. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3171/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3171/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-3171
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-3171
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-3171

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3171/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.