# CVE-2022-38476: Use after free in Firefox ESR

> A use-after-free vulnerability in Firefox ESR and Thunderbird allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a race condition during master password changes.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 15 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-38476, GHSA-mj64-2668-m2rv, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-38476

## What is CVE-2022-38476?

CVE-2022-38476 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox Esr, published on 22 Dec 2022. 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

A data race could occur in the <code>PK11_ChangePW</code> function, potentially leading to a use-after-free vulnerability. In Firefox, this lock protected the data when a user changed their master password. This vulnerability affects Firefox ESR < 102.2 and Thunderbird < 102.2.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-38476?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Mozilla Firefox Esr, Mozilla Thunderbird.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-38476?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-38476 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-38476 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox Esr

- [CVE-2021-4127](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4127/): Other in Firefox ESR (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-25746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25746/): Memory corruption in Firefox ESR (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-38495](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38495/): Memory corruption in Firefox ESR (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-15669](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15669/): Use after free in Firefox ESR (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6828/): Path traversal in Firefox ESR (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-38476 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-38476 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox Esr, published on 22 Dec 2022. 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-2022-38476 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Mozilla Firefox Esr. 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-2022-38476/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38476/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38476
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-38476
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-38476

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38476/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.