Clipboard poisoning via ungated Selection API autocopy
Published Nov 21, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025
Clipboard poisoning in Firefox before 120, Firefox ESR before 115.5.0, and Mozilla Thunderbird before 115.5 lets remote attackers alter X11 data. AutoCopyListener treats Selection.selectAllChildren() calls from page JavaScript as select-all events and copies the selected text into the X11 primary selection without a secure context, permission, or user activation. Exposure requires an X11 session and a later paste from the primary selection; Thunderbird also requires a browser-like context because message scripting is disabled.
Summary
What happened
Clipboard poisoning in Firefox before 120, Firefox ESR before 115.5.0, and Mozilla Thunderbird before 115.5 lets remote attackers alter X11 data. AutoCopyListener treats Selection.selectAllChildren() calls from page JavaScript as select-all events and copies the selected text into the X11 primary selection without a secure context, permission, or user activation. Exposure requires an X11 session and a later paste from the primary selection; Thunderbird also requires a browser-like context because message scripting is disabled.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-6208
- Published
- Nov 21, 2023
- Updated
- Feb 13, 2025
- Vendor
- Mozilla
- Product
- Firefox
- Classifications
- T1203
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 13, 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <120
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Simplified Selection API reproductionproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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