CVE-2023-5175Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Browser crash via shutdown ImageBitmap use-after-free

Published Sep 27, 2023 · Updated May 1, 2025

Use-after-free in Firefox before 118 allows attackers to crash the browser through an ImageBitmap created during process shutdown. The shutdown path could create a new ImageBitmapShutdownObserver after that observer had been destroyed, allowing another path to use freed memory. Triggering depends on a narrow, timing-sensitive shutdown phase, and the published consequence is a browser crash rather than demonstrated code execution.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.84%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Firefox before 118 allows attackers to crash the browser through an ImageBitmap created during process shutdown. The shutdown path could create a new ImageBitmapShutdownObserver after that observer had been destroyed, allowing another path to use freed memory. Triggering depends on a narrow, timing-sensitive shutdown phase, and the published consequence is a browser crash rather than demonstrated code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5175
Published
Sep 27, 2023
Updated
May 1, 2025
Vendor
Mozilla
Product
Firefox
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 1, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <118

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Mozilla · Firefoxversion=unspecified <118

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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