# CVE-2012-4201: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute cross-site scripting or read arbitrary files via a sandboxed add-on in Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Nov 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6fwr-vrgr-xcw8

## What is CVE-2012-4201?

CVE-2012-4201 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 21 Nov 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 evalInSandbox implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 17.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.11, Thunderbird before 17.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.11, and SeaMonkey before 2.14 uses an incorrect context during the handling of JavaScript code that sets the location.href property, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks or read arbitrary files by leveraging a sandboxed add-on.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-4201?

It affects 14 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Seamonkey, Mozilla Thunderbird, Mozilla Thunderbird Esr, Opensuse Opensuse, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop, Suse Linux Enterprise Server, Suse Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-4201?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2012-4201 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4201 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-4201 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-4201 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 21 Nov 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4201 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2012-4201/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4201/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-4201
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4201
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-4201

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4201/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.