# CVE-2023-5173: Integer overflow in Firefox

> An integer overflow in Firefox allows out-of-bounds writes to privileged memory, potentially enabling code execution when a non-standard preference is enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7873-qcmm-76jc, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-5173

## What is CVE-2023-5173?

CVE-2023-5173 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 27 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In a non-standard configuration of Firefox, an integer overflow could have occurred based on network traffic (possibly under influence of a local unprivileged webpage), leading to an out-of-bounds write to privileged process memory. 
*This bug only affects Firefox if a non-standard preference allowing non-HTTPS Alternate Services (`network.http.altsvc.oe`) is enabled.* This vulnerability affects Firefox < 118.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5173?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mozilla Firefox.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5173?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-5173 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2023-5173 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5173 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox, published on 27 Sep 2023. 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-2023-5173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2023-5173/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5173/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5173
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5173
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5173

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5173/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.