Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
-
AccessLure user to malicious page
-
DeliveryBrowser processes attacker content
-
ExploitTrigger Application Update flaw
-
ExecutionUpdater performs privileged action
-
ImpactAttacker-controlled code runs elevated
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Least privilege enforcement
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires the Firefox Application Update component to be present and enabled (the default in standard Firefox installations using auto-updates and, on Windows, the Mozilla Maintenance Service) and requires user interaction per the CVSS UI:R flag - typically navigating to or interacting with attacker-controlled content in Firefox. Authentication is not required (PR:N), but exploitation is limited to systems running a vulnerable Firefox build prior to version 151 with the updater enabled; environments that disable auto-updates or run Firefox from a read-only/managed install (e.g., enterprise MSI deployments with the updater disabled via policy) are not exposed via the auto-update path. The terseness of the public description means the exact triggering surface is not enumerated; defenders should treat any Firefox pre-151 with the updater active as exposed. |
| Impact | Signals are mixed and lean lower than the raw CVSS suggests. The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H scores 8.8, but the network attack vector is unusual for a privilege escalation in an update component - privilege escalation flaws are typically local, so the AV:N rating likely reflects that exploitation begins via web-delivered content the user must interact with (UI:R). EPSS at 0.03% (8th percentile) and CISA SSVC reporting Exploitation: none, Automatable: yes, Technical Impact: partial all indicate this is not currently a priority exploitation target. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the CVE is not on the CISA KEV list. The SSVC 'partial' technical impact also conflicts with the CVSS 'High' ratings across C/I/A - vendors and CISA may be assessing real-world impact more conservatively. Net assessment: patch on normal cadence; this is unlikely to be opportunistically exploited but the AV:N rating warrants verification with Mozilla's MFSA bulletin since the description is unusually terse. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker hosts a malicious web page that, when visited by a Firefox user, triggers logic in the Application Update component to perform a privileged action under attacker influence - for example, staging or replacing an update payload that the elevated updater service later executes. After the user takes the required interaction (UI:R), the attacker gains code execution with the privileges of the updater. No public exploit code or active exploitation has been reported at the time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – May 20, 2026
Privilege escalation in Mozilla Firefox via the Application Update component allows remote attackers to gain elevated privileges when a user interacts with malicious content, fixed in Firefox 151. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R) and is categorized under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management). There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis, and EPSS estimates only a 0.03% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: Firefox 151 - upgrade all Firefox installations to version 151 or later as published in Mozilla advisories MFSA2026-46 (https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2026-46/) and MFSA2026-50 (https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2026-50/). Where immediate patching is not possible, restrict write access to the Firefox install directory and the Mozilla Maintenance Service (on Windows) so unprivileged users cannot stage update payloads, which removes the local elevation surface at the cost of breaking background auto-updates and requiring administrator-driven deployment. Enterprises using policy-managed deployments (Group Policy, MDM, ESR channel) should accelerate the rollout to 151 and verify the updater service is running with least-privilege configuration; consult the Bugzilla entry at https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2021727 for technical detail once unrestricted.
Affects your stack
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Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The vulnerability resides in Firefox's Application Update component, the subsystem responsible for fetching, validating, and applying browser updates (typically via the Mozilla updater service/binary that runs with elevated privileges to write to protected program directories). CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) indicates that the updater fails to correctly enforce privilege boundaries, allowing a lower-privileged actor to influence operations performed with higher privileges. Affected CPE is cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:firefox covering versions prior to 151 across all platforms where the updater is deployed (primarily Windows and macOS, where the auto-update service runs with elevated rights).
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from Vendor (mozilla).
CVSS VectorVendor: mozilla
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
Privilege escalation in the Application Update component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox 151.
Executive ViewAI
Mozilla Firefox users face a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Application Update component (CVE-2026-8952, CVSS 8.8) that could allow remote attackers to gain elevated system access when users interact with malicious content. With no current public exploitation and a 0.0% EPSS probability, the risk is measurable but not immediately acute. All Firefox versions before 151 are affected, requiring proactive inventory and patching once the vendor releases the fix.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations pending Firefox 151 release: (1) Disable automatic Firefox updates and implement centralized, controlled patch deployment; (2) Restrict user permissions to execute new Firefox installations or updates from untrusted sources; (3) Enforce application whitelisting to limit Firefox execution scope; (4) Monitor for privilege escalation attempts targeting Firefox processes; (5) Educate users to decline suspicious update prompts or content interactions. Establish tracking to deploy Firefox 151 immediately upon availability.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org
The PDF reader in Mozilla Firefox before 39.0.3, Firefox ESR 38.x before 38.1.1, and Firefox OS before 2.2 allows remote
Mozilla Firefox before 22.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.7, Thunderbird before 17.0.7, and Thunderbird ESR 17.x before
Mozilla Firefox before 18.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.12 and 17.x before 17.0.2, Thunderbird before 17.0.2, Thunderb
Use-after-free vulnerability in the serializeToStream implementation in the XMLSerializer component in Mozilla Firefox b
The Chrome Object Wrapper (COW) implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 16.0, Firefox ESR 10.x before 10.0.8, Thunderbi
The crypto.generateCRMFRequest function in Mozilla Firefox before 23.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.8, Thunderbird befo
An issue was discovered in the Cisco WebEx Extension before 1.0.7 on Google Chrome, the ActiveTouch General Plugin Conta
The XrayWrapper implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 35.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.32 does not properly interact with
The Chrome Object Wrapper (COW) implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 18.0, Firefox ESR 17.x before 17.0.2, Thunderbi
The Web IDL implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 28.0, Firefox ESR 24.x before 24.4, Thunderbird before 24.4, and Se
Mozilla Firefox before 28.0, Firefox ESR 24.x before 24.4, Thunderbird before 24.4, and SeaMonkey before 2.25 allow remo
The Firefox sandbox in Adobe Flash Player before 10.3.183.67 and 11.x before 11.6.602.171 on Windows and Mac OS X, and b
Same weakness CWE-269 – Improper Privilege Management
View allSame technique Privilege Escalation
View allVendor StatusVendor
SUSE
Severity: High| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP7 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS Extended Security | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | Fixed |
| SUSE CaaS Platform 4.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 | Fixed |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 12 SP2-CLIENT | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4-ESPOS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-BCL | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP3 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP4 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP5 | Fixed |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.2 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.0 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.1 | Fixed |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.2 | Fixed |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | Fixed |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | Fixed |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9 | Fixed |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | Fixed |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.3 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.3 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | Fixed |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | Fixed |
| suse/kiosk/firefox-esr:esr | Fixed |
EUVD-2026-30902
GHSA-hrqc-vwff-62mj
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB