CVE-2023-0616

If a MIME email combines OpenPGP and OpenPGP MIME data in a certain way Thunderbird repeatedly attempts to process and display the message, which could cause Thunderbirds user interface to lock up and no longer respond to the users actions. An attacker could send a crafted message with this structure to attempt a DoS attack. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 102.8.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

• The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

• The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/147.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/227.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/492.html

References

• https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1806507
• https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2023-07/
• https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1806507
• https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2023-07/