CVE-2024-10458 Overview
CVE-2024-10458 is a permission leak vulnerability affecting Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird. A trusted site could leak previously granted permissions to an untrusted site through embed or object HTML elements. The flaw enables an attacker-controlled site to inherit sensitive permissions such as camera, microphone, geolocation, or notification access without the user's consent.
The vulnerability impacts Firefox versions before 132, Firefox ESR before 128.4, Firefox ESR before 115.17, Thunderbird before 128.4, and Thunderbird before 132. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-281] (Improper Preservation of Permissions).
Critical Impact
Untrusted origins can inherit permissions granted to trusted sites, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive browser capabilities such as camera, microphone, and geolocation without user interaction.
Affected Products
- Mozilla Firefox versions before 132
- Mozilla Firefox ESR versions before 128.4 and before 115.17
- Mozilla Thunderbird versions before 128.4 and before 132
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-29 - CVE-2024-10458 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-10458
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from improper preservation of permission boundaries when content is loaded through embed or object elements. Browsers store site permissions such as camera, microphone, geolocation, and notification access keyed to a specific origin. When a trusted origin embeds external content via <embed> or <object>, Firefox failed to properly scope these permissions to the parent origin only.
As a result, an untrusted origin loaded inside the embedded resource could inherit the permissions previously granted to the trusted parent site. This breaks the same-origin permission model that browsers rely on to protect sensitive device capabilities.
The attack requires no user interaction beyond visiting a page that loads attacker-controlled content through these element types. The confidentiality impact is high because leaked permissions can expose camera feeds, microphone audio, precise geolocation, and other sensitive data.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper enforcement of origin boundaries during permission lookups for nested browsing contexts created by embed and object elements. The permission manager did not consistently verify that the requesting origin matched the origin to which the permission was granted, allowing cross-origin inheritance.
Attack Vector
An attacker hosts content that is embedded by a trusted site, or compromises a third-party resource that a trusted site embeds via <object> or <embed>. When a victim with previously granted permissions visits the trusted site, the embedded untrusted origin silently inherits those permissions. No user prompt is generated, and no user interaction is required beyond loading the parent page.
For technical specifics, see the Mozilla Bugzilla Report and the Mozilla Security Advisory MFSA-2024-55.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10458
Indicators of Compromise
- Firefox or Thunderbird process versions older than the patched releases (Firefox 132, Firefox ESR 128.4, Firefox ESR 115.17, Thunderbird 128.4, Thunderbird 132).
- Browser telemetry showing camera, microphone, or geolocation API access initiated from embed or object frame contexts on origins that were not directly granted those permissions.
- Outbound connections from browser child processes to unfamiliar domains immediately after rendering pages with <object> or <embed> tags.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory installed Firefox and Thunderbird versions across managed endpoints and flag any builds below the fixed releases.
- Review web proxy or DNS logs for traffic patterns where a trusted domain loads object or embed content from third-party origins immediately followed by sensor API calls.
- Correlate browser permission prompts and grants from endpoint logs against expected user workflows to spot anomalous use of sensitive APIs.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor endpoint software inventory for Mozilla products and alert when versions fall behind the patched baselines published in MFSA-2024-55 through MFSA-2024-59.
- Track unusual activations of microphone, camera, or geolocation hardware on managed endpoints and correlate with active browser sessions.
- Subscribe to Mozilla security advisories and Debian LTS announcements such as the Debian LTS Announcement for downstream package updates.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10458
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Firefox to version 132 or later on all managed endpoints.
- Update Firefox ESR to 128.4 or 115.17 depending on the deployed ESR branch.
- Update Thunderbird to version 128.4 or 132 or later.
- Audit existing site permission grants in Firefox and revoke any that are no longer required by users.
Patch Information
Mozilla released patches in Firefox 132, Firefox ESR 128.4, Firefox ESR 115.17, Thunderbird 128.4, and Thunderbird 132. Patch details are published in the Mozilla Security Advisory MFSA-2024-55, MFSA-2024-56, MFSA-2024-57, MFSA-2024-58, and MFSA-2024-59. Debian users should apply updates referenced in the Debian LTS Announcement #34.
Workarounds
- Enforce browser update policies through enterprise management to prevent users from running outdated builds.
- Revoke camera, microphone, and geolocation permissions in about:preferences#privacy until patched versions are deployed.
- Use content security policies on web properties to restrict the origins permitted in object and embed elements where feasible.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
