How severe is CVE-2023-4052?

CVE-2023-4052 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-4052 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (44th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-4052?

CVE-2023-4052 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-4052?

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

When was CVE-2023-4052 published?

CVE-2023-4052 was published on 2023-08-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-4052

CVE-2023-4052 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Firefox with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (44th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Mozilla Firefox
Published: 2023-08-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Firefox updater created a directory writable by non-privileged users. When uninstalling Firefox, any files in that directory would be recursively deleted with the permissions of the uninstalling user account. This could be combined with creation of a junction (a form of symbolic link) to allow arbitrary file deletion controlled by the non-privileged user. *This bug only affects Firefox on Windows. Other operating systems are unaffected.* This vulnerability affects Firefox < 116, Firefox ESR < 115.1, and Thunderbird < 115.1.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-4052?: The Firefox updater created a directory writable by non-privileged users. When uninstalling Firefox, any files in that directory would be recursively deleted with the permissions of the uninstalling user account. This could be combined with creation of a junction (a form of symbolic link) to allow arbitrary file deletion controlled by the non-privileged user. *This bug only affects Firefox on Windows. Other operating systems are unaffected.* This vulnerability affects Firefox < 116, Firefox ESR < 115.1, and Thunderbird < 115.1.
How severe is CVE-2023-4052?: CVE-2023-4052 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-4052 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (44th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-4052?: CVE-2023-4052 primarily affects Mozilla Firefox. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-4052?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-4052 published?: CVE-2023-4052 was published on 2023-08-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox_esr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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