CVE-2012-3973

CVE-2012-3973 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.6. 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: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.6)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-264
• Affected product: Mozilla Firefox
• Published: 2012-08-29
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The debugger in the developer-tools subsystem in Mozilla Firefox before 15.0, when remote debugging is disabled, does not properly restrict access to the remote-debugging service, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging the presence of the HTTPMonitor extension and connecting to that service through the HTTPMonitor port.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-3973?

The debugger in the developer-tools subsystem in Mozilla Firefox before 15.0, when remote debugging is disabled, does not properly restrict access to the remote-debugging service, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging the presence of the HTTPMonitor extension and connecting to that service through the HTTPMonitor port.

How severe is CVE-2012-3973?

CVE-2012-3973 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.6, rated high severity.

Is CVE-2012-3973 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2012-3973?

CVE-2012-3973 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 147 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2012-3973?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2012-3973 published?

CVE-2012-3973 was published on 2012-08-29 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-08/msg00028.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-09/msg00011.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-09/msg00014.html
• http://osvdb.org/85005
• http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2012/mfsa2012-66.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/55308
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1548-1
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1548-2
• https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=757128
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A17039

Affected products (147)

• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0:preview_release:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.0.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:1.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:2.0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:2.0.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:2.0.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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