CVE-2012-3993

CVE-2012-3993 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 43% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-269.

Key facts

• Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 43% (99th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-269
• Affected product: Mozilla Firefox
• Published: 2012-10-10
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The Chrome Object Wrapper (COW) implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 16.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, Thunderbird before 16.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.13 does not properly interact with failures of InstallTrigger methods, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code with chrome privileges via a crafted web site, related to an "XrayWrapper pollution" issue.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-3993?

The Chrome Object Wrapper (COW) implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 16.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, Thunderbird before 16.0, Thunderbird ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, and SeaMonkey before 2.13 does not properly interact with failures of InstallTrigger methods, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code with chrome privileges via a crafted web site, related to an "XrayWrapper pollution" issue.

How severe is CVE-2012-3993?

CVE-2012-3993 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2012-3993 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 43% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2012-3993?

CVE-2012-3993 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 376 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2012-3993?

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-2012-3993 published?

CVE-2012-3993 was published on 2012-10-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-10/msg00010.html
• http://osvdb.org/86111
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1351.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50856
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50892
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50904
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50935
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50936
• http://secunia.com/advisories/50984
• http://secunia.com/advisories/55318
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:163
• http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2012/mfsa2012-83.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/56119
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1611-1
• https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=768101
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/79153
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16718

Affected products (376)

• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:10.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird_esr:10.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• 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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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