CVE-2009-3988

CVE-2009-3988 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. 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-264.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (80th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-264
• Affected product: Mozilla Firefox
• Published: 2010-02-22
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Mozilla Firefox 3.0.x before 3.0.18 and 3.5.x before 3.5.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.3, does not properly restrict read access to object properties in showModalDialog, which allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy and conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via crafted dialogArguments values.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-3988?

Mozilla Firefox 3.0.x before 3.0.18 and 3.5.x before 3.5.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.0.3, does not properly restrict read access to object properties in showModalDialog, which allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy and conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via crafted dialogArguments values.

How severe is CVE-2009-3988?

CVE-2009-3988 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2009-3988 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-3988?

CVE-2009-3988 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 33 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-3988?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2009-3988 published?

CVE-2009-3988 was published on 2010-02-22 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2010-February/035346.html
• http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2010-February/035367.html
• http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2010-February/035426.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-03/msg00001.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/37242
• http://secunia.com/advisories/38847
• http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-1999
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:042
• http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2010/mfsa2010-04.html
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0112.html
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-895-1
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-896-1
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/0405
• https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=504862
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/56362
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A8355
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A9384

Affected products (33)

• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.0.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:3.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:alpha_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:alpha_2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:alpha_3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:beta_1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:beta_2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:seamonkey:2.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox

• CVE-2026-4725 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to use-after-free in the Graphics: Canvas2D component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox 149…
• CVE-2026-4692 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape in the Responsive Design Mode component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox 149, Firefox ESR…
• CVE-2026-4689 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to incorrect boundary conditions, integer overflow in the XPCOM component. This vulnerability was…
• CVE-2026-4688 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to use-after-free in the Disability Access APIs component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox…
• CVE-2026-2778 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to incorrect boundary conditions in the DOM: Core & HTML component. This vulnerability was fixed in…
• CVE-2026-2776 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to incorrect boundary conditions in the Telemetry component in External Software. This vulnerability…

All CVEs affecting Mozilla Firefox →

Other CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2016-8363 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): An issue was discovered in Moxa OnCell OnCellG3470A-LTE, AWK-1131A/3131A/4131A Series, AWK-3191 Series, AWK-5232/6232…
• CVE-2016-7457 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): VMware vRealize Operations (aka vROps) 6.x before 6.4.0 allows remote authenticated users to gain privileges, or halt…
• CVE-2015-7425 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The Data Protection component in the VMware vSphere GUI in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments: Data…
• CVE-2015-8267 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The PasswordReset.Controllers.ResetController.ChangePasswordIndex method in PasswordReset.dll in Dovestones AD Self…
• CVE-2015-7919 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): SearchBlox 8.3 before 8.3.1 allows remote attackers to write to the config file, and consequently cause a denial of…
• CVE-2015-7071 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The File Bookmark component in Apple OS X before 10.11.2 allows attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism for…

Browse all CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) vulnerabilities →