CVE-2016-1979: Use After Free

Published Mar 13, 2016
·
Updated

Use-after-free vulnerability in the PK11ImportDERPrivateKeyInfoAndReturnKey function in Mozilla Network Security Services (NSS) before 3.21.1, as used in Mozilla Firefox before 45.0, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted key data with DER encoding.

Affected Software

2 affected components
Mozilla Firefox<=44.0.2
mozilla Network Security Services<=3.21

Event History

Mar 13, 2016
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Description
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2016-1979?

CVE-2016-1979 has been classified as having a high severity due to its potential to cause denial of service and other unspecified impacts.

2

How do I fix CVE-2016-1979?

To mitigate CVE-2016-1979, users should upgrade to Mozilla Firefox version 45.0 or later and ensure NSS is upgraded to version 3.21.1 or later.

3

What causes the vulnerability in CVE-2016-1979?

CVE-2016-1979 is caused by a use-after-free vulnerability in the PK11_ImportDERPrivateKeyInfoAndReturnKey function within Mozilla's Network Security Services.

4

Is CVE-2016-1979 exploitable remotely?

Yes, remote attackers can exploit CVE-2016-1979 by sending crafted key data to trigger the vulnerability.

5

Which software versions are affected by CVE-2016-1979?

CVE-2016-1979 affects Mozilla Firefox versions up to 44.0.2 and Mozilla NSS versions up to 3.21.

Contact

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