CVE-2025-3909

JavaScript Execution via Spoofed PDF Attachment and file:/// Link

Published May 14, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 8.1 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Thunderbird's handling of the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header can be exploited to execute JavaScript in the file:/// context. By crafting a nested email attachment (message/rfc822) and setting its content type to application/pdf, Thunderbird may incorrectly render it as HTML when opened, allowing the embedded JavaScript to run without requiring a file download. This behavior relies on Thunderbird auto-saving the attachment to /tmp and linking to it via the file:/// protocol, potentially enabling JavaScript execution as part of the HTML. This vulnerability was fixed in Thunderbird 128.10.1 and Thunderbird 138.0.1.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4167-1 thunderbird security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5921-1 thunderbird security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-14935 Thunderbird's handling of the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header can be exploited to execute JavaScript in the file:/// context. By crafting a nested email attachment (message/rfc822) and setting its content type to application/pdf, Thunderbird may incorrectly render it as HTML when opened, allowing the embedded JavaScript to run without requiring a file download. This behavior relies on Thunderbird auto-saving the attachment to /tmp and linking to it via the file:/// protocol, potentially enabling JavaScript execution as part of the HTML. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 128.10.1 and Thunderbird < 138.0.1.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7663-1 Thunderbird vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Thunderbird's handling of the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header can be exploited to execute JavaScript in the file:/// context. By crafting a nested email attachment (message/rfc822) and setting its content type to application/pdf, Thunderbird may incorrectly render it as HTML when opened, allowing the embedded JavaScript to run without requiring a file download. This behavior relies on Thunderbird auto-saving the attachment to /tmp and linking to it via the file:/// protocol, potentially enabling JavaScript execution as part of the HTML. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 128.10.1 and Thunderbird < 138.0.1. Thunderbird's handling of the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header can be exploited to execute JavaScript in the file:/// context. By crafting a nested email attachment (message/rfc822) and setting its content type to application/pdf, Thunderbird may incorrectly render it as HTML when opened, allowing the embedded JavaScript to run without requiring a file download. This behavior relies on Thunderbird auto-saving the attachment to /tmp and linking to it via the file:/// protocol, potentially enabling JavaScript execution as part of the HTML. This vulnerability was fixed in Thunderbird 128.10.1 and Thunderbird 138.0.1.
Title thunderbird: JavaScript Execution via Spoofed PDF Attachment and file:/// Link JavaScript Execution via Spoofed PDF Attachment and file:/// Link
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N'}

ssvc

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

cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N'}

ssvc

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

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-356
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:8.8
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_tus:8.8
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel Tus
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.4
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.6
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:8.6
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_tus:8.6
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel Tus
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Mozilla
Mozilla thunderbird
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Mozilla
Mozilla thunderbird
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel Aus
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_aus:8.2
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel Aus
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat rhel E4s
Redhat rhel Eus
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_e4s:9.0
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_eus:9.2
cpe:/a:redhat:rhel_eus:9.4
Vendors & Products Redhat rhel E4s
Redhat rhel Eus
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10.0
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title thunderbird: JavaScript Execution via Spoofed PDF Attachment and file:/// Link
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-290
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N'}

ssvc

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

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Thunderbird's handling of the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header can be exploited to execute JavaScript in the file:/// context. By crafting a nested email attachment (message/rfc822) and setting its content type to application/pdf, Thunderbird may incorrectly render it as HTML when opened, allowing the embedded JavaScript to run without requiring a file download. This behavior relies on Thunderbird auto-saving the attachment to /tmp and linking to it via the file:/// protocol, potentially enabling JavaScript execution as part of the HTML. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 128.10.1 and Thunderbird < 138.0.1.
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mozilla
Published
Updated
Apr 13, 2026, 2:27 PM
Reserved
Apr 23, 2025, 5:44 PM
Status
Modified
Published
May 14, 2025, 5:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 9:20 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
May 14, 2025, 4:56 PM