# CVE-2012-3993: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript with chrome privileges via a crafted website due to improper handling of InstallTrigger failures in Firefox.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Oct 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3587-g6j7-969g

## What is CVE-2012-3993?

CVE-2012-3993 is a critical vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 10 Oct 2012. 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 Chrome Object Wrapper (COW) implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 16.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, Thunderbird before 16.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.13 does not properly interact with failures of InstallTrigger methods, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code with chrome privileges via a crafted web site, related to an "XrayWrapper pollution" issue.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-3993?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Seamonkey, Mozilla Thunderbird, Mozilla Thunderbird Esr.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-3993?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2012-3993 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-3993 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Mozilla Firefox 5.0 < 15.0.1 - __exposedProps__ XCS Code Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb)
- Firefox 5.0 - 15.0.1 __exposedProps__ XCS Code Execution (metasploit)

## 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-2012-3993 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-3993 is a critical vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 10 Oct 2012. 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-2012-3993 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-2012-3993/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3993/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-3993
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3993
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-3993

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3993/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.