Firefox 2.0.0.8 Removes Vulnerabilities
Several vulnerabilities in Firefox allow remote attacks on 2.x versions: updating to 2.0.0.8 closes the gaps.
Mozilla Firefox before 2.0.0.8 and SeaMonkey before 1.1.5, when running on Linux systems with gnome-vfs support, might allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files on SSH/sftp servers that accept key authentication by creating a web page on the target server, in which the web page contains URIs with smb: or sftp: schemes that access other files from the server (CVE-2007-5337, MFSA 2007-34). To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker has to entice users to a manipulated website on the same server. Websites written in XUL can hide their title bars (MFSA 2007-33, CVE-2007-5334), thus opening up a vector for phishing or spoofing attacks. An overview and more details on the vulnerabilities is available from Secunia.
The Firefox developers themselves view the fact that an attacker can exploit the XPC Native Wrapper script object and inject Javascript code when a user surfs to a Javascript page, and then execute the code with the logged on user’s privileges (MFSA 2007-35, CVE-2007-5338). Some Firefox and Javascript engine crashes pointed to memory corruption, which an attacker might be able to use to execute malicious code.
All of these vulnerabilities have been removed in version 2.0.0.8. The new version is available as a download from the Mozilla page. The last digit in the Firefox version number indicates the fix. The previous update to 2.0.0.7 is from mid-September 2007 and closed the Quicktime vulnerability. The first 2.0 version of Firefox was released in October 2006.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
CIQ Releases Security-Hardened Version of Rocky Linux
If you're looking for an enterprise-grade Linux distribution that is hardened for business use, there's a new version of Rocky Linux that's sure to make you and your company happy.
-
Gnome’s Dash to Panel Extension Gets a Massive Update
If you're a fan of the Gnome Dash to Panel extension, you'll be thrilled to hear that a new version has been released with a dock mode.
-
Blender App Makes it to the Big Screen
The animated film "Flow" won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards held on March 2, 2025 and Blender was a part of it.
-
Linux Mint Retools the Cinnamon App Launcher
The developers of Linux Mint are working on an improved Cinnamon App Launcher with a better, more accessible UI.
-
New Linux Tool for Security Issues
Seal Security is launching a new solution to automate fixing Linux vulnerabilities.
-
Ubuntu 25.04 Coming Soon
Ubuntu 25.04 (Plucky Puffin) has been given an April release date with many notable updates.
-
Gnome Developers Consider Dropping RPM Support
In a move that might shock a lot of users, the Gnome development team has proposed the idea of going straight up Flatpak.
-
openSUSE Tumbleweed Ditches AppArmor for SELinux
If you're an openSUSE Tumbleweed user, you can expect a major change to the distribution.
-
Plasma 6.3 Now Available
Plasma desktop v6.3 has a couple of pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve.
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.