CVE-2024-8383

mozilla: Firefox did not ask before openings news: links in an external application

Published Sep 3, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-3869-1 firefox-esr security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-3882-1 thunderbird security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5765-1 firefox-esr security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5767-1 thunderbird security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-6992-1 Firefox vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel Eus
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.2
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:9.0
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_eus:8.8
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_eus:9.2
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel Eus
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-1188
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel Aus
Redhat rhel E4s
Redhat rhel Tus
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.4
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.6
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:8.4
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:8.6
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_tus:8.4
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_tus:8.6
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel Aus
Redhat rhel E4s
Redhat rhel Tus
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel Els
CPEs cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel Els
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, Firefox ESR < 115.15, Thunderbird < 128.2, and Thunderbird < 115.15. Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15.
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15. Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, Firefox ESR < 115.15, Thunderbird < 128.2, and Thunderbird < 115.15.
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-862
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Mozilla
Mozilla firefox
Mozilla firefox Esr
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox_esr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Mozilla
Mozilla firefox
Mozilla firefox Esr
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15. Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15.
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title mozilla: Firefox did not ask before openings news: links in an external application
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Firefox normally asks for confirmation before asking the operating system to find an application to handle a scheme that the browser does not support. It did not ask before doing so for the Usenet-related schemes news: and snews:. Since most operating systems don't have a trusted newsreader installed by default, an unscrupulous program that the user downloaded could register itself as a handler. The website that served the application download could then launch that application at will This vulnerability affects Firefox < 130, Firefox ESR < 128.2, and Firefox ESR < 115.15.
References

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mozilla
Published
Updated
Nov 4, 2025, 4:16 PM
Reserved
Sep 3, 2024, 6:39 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Sep 3, 2024, 1:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 8:22 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 3, 2024, 1:15 PM