# CVE-2017-5390: Privilege escalation in Firefox

> Insecure communication channel in Developer Tools JSON viewer allows privilege escalation in Firefox and Thunderbird.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Jun 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-5390, GHSA-75jp-4qgr-vj32, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-5390

## What is CVE-2017-5390?

CVE-2017-5390 is a critical vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The JSON viewer in the Developer Tools uses insecure methods to create a communication channel for copying and viewing JSON or HTTP headers data, allowing for potential privilege escalation. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 45.7, Firefox ESR < 45.7, and Firefox < 51.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-5390?

It affects 9 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-5390?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-5390 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-5390 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-5390 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-5390 is a critical vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-5390 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2017-5390/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5390/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-5390
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5390
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-5390

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5390/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.