CVE-2008-0420

CVE-2008-0420 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-200.

Key facts

Description

modules/libpr0n/decoders/bmp/nsBMPDecoder.cpp in Mozilla Firefox before 2.0.0.12, Thunderbird before 2.0.0.12, and SeaMonkey before 1.1.8 does not properly perform certain calculations related to the mColors table, which allows remote attackers to read portions of memory uninitialized via a crafted 8-bit bitmap (BMP) file that triggers an out-of-bounds read within the heap, as demonstrated using a CANVAS element; or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted 8-bit bitmap file that triggers an out-of-bounds read. NOTE: the initial public reports stated that this affected Firefox in Ubuntu 6.06 through 7.10.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-0420?
modules/libpr0n/decoders/bmp/nsBMPDecoder.cpp in Mozilla Firefox before 2.0.0.12, Thunderbird before 2.0.0.12, and SeaMonkey before 1.1.8 does not properly perform certain calculations related to the mColors table, which allows remote attackers to read portions of memory uninitialized via a crafted 8-bit bitmap (BMP) file that triggers an out-of-bounds read within the heap, as demonstrated using a CANVAS element; or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted 8-bit bitmap file that triggers an out-of-bounds read. NOTE: the initial public reports stated that this affected Firefox in Ubuntu 6.06 through 7.10.
How severe is CVE-2008-0420?
CVE-2008-0420 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2008-0420 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-0420?
CVE-2008-0420 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 80 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-0420?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2008-0420 published?
CVE-2008-0420 was published on 2008-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (80)

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