[2019-06-24] “zero-day” vulnerability in Firefox directed against Coinbase

[Kakmakr]

"A recent hacker attack was a threat not only to users but also to Coinbase employees. Mozilla Firefox assigned the threat the highest level of danger, declaring it a “zero-day” vulnerability. Fortunately, the attack was stopped, and all means are safe."

https://cryptobit.media/en/news/exchanges/1692/

*Please update your Mozilla Firefox products and Firefox ESR to the latest version, if you are using Firefox as your browser, because one of the biggest exchanges are being targeted by these exploits now.  

[Carlton Banks]

I don't believe this story, at least not without more details


Security vulnerabilities in a browser would only affect the website if they're serving web content using the browser software. Who the fuck uses Firefox to serve web content?!?!?

This basically sounds impossible, so someone is very confused about this, not least of all myself



Edit: maybe Coinbase users of Firefox are being targetted? Don't see what makes Coinbase any different to any other exchange, and so it's still baffling tbh

[Theb]

I don't believe this story, at least not without more details

Well if that's the case what's their main goal in spreading this news? Do they want to create some kind of panic in the market to pull the price down or they just want to force people to update their Firefox? Or since a Google employee is involve do you think they are just damaging the reputation of Mozilla so that they can switch to Chrome? With all the scenarios I have given I think that they don't have a real motive on spreading this kind of news if it was fake, they might just be really concerned about the public's safety and security.

[Carlton Banks]

I don't believe this story, at least not without more details

Well if that's the case what's their main goal in spreading this news?

the basic angle seems to be : "COINBASE ATTACKED"


maybe it's a hitpiece against mozilla too, but all browsers that interpret javascript are susceptible to these issues really, javascript's so powerful that it's a permanent security nightmare (and hence a bad fit for Bitcoin). This Firefox bug wasn't in the javascript interpreter, but a sandbox escape bug (the sandbox is there to mitigate the damage that malicious javascript can do)

[Kakmakr]

Carlton, I am just forwarding the news that I have read on several websites out there, so do not shoot the messenger.    I also received a zero day warning from a reputable source and they advised me to update any Mozilla Firefox products that I use, because they know I own Crypto currencies.

It might not be a bad idea for other people just to update their software to the latest version to prevent any other possible hacks that might be triggered via this exploit, if it was not plugged. 

[Carlton Banks]

Carlton, I am just forwarding the news that I have read on several websites out there, so do not shoot the messenger.    I also received a zero day warning from a reputable source and they advised me to update any Mozilla Firefox products that I use, because they know I own Crypto currencies.

It might not be a bad idea for other people just to update their software to the latest version to prevent any other possible hacks that might be triggered via this exploit, if it was not plugged. 

relax, the story is weird, but that's not really your fault


I simply don't get why this is being reported as a "Coinbase story". A Coinbase user was affected, so what? It's missing the point completely

[hatshepsut93]

This is kinda old news already: https://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-zero-day-was-used-in-attack-against-coinbase-employees-not-its-users/

The attack targeted Coinbase employees, not users, hackers sent them phishing emails with malware that abused Firefox bugs, trying to steal sensitive information to penetrate the servers, but according to the article the attack was prevented, reported to Mozilla and they have patched Firefox.

[Carlton Banks]

@hatshepsut93 thanks for doing the legwork, story makes much more sense now

[Kakmakr]

This is kinda old news already: https://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-zero-day-was-used-in-attack-against-coinbase-employees-not-its-users/

The attack targeted Coinbase employees, not users, hackers sent them phishing emails with malware that abused Firefox bugs, trying to steal sensitive information to penetrate the servers, but according to the article the attack was prevented, reported to Mozilla and they have patched Firefox.

Yea, I figured as much from the limited information that was provided in the article and what I have read from other sources. It is nice to see that Coinbase is working proactively to prevent hacks and that they are working closely with other reputable entities to prevent "holes" in their system.

In any way, plugging the same "holes" in our own browsers with a update is never a bad idea, because they can easily use the same hole to gather information from users of Coinbase. 

[hatshepsut93]

It is nice to see that Coinbase is working proactively to prevent hacks and that they are working closely with other reputable entities to prevent "holes" in their system.

It's nothing unusual, people in software, even direct competitors, generally are very responsible and helpful towards each other when it comes to security holes - this is because there are very deep dependency connections, and vulnerability in one program can make thousands of others vulnerable. Remember how Bcash developers privately disclosed a dangerous Bitcoin bug?

In any way, plugging the same "holes" in our own browsers with a update is never a bad idea, because they can easily use the same hole to gather information from users of Coinbase. 

The hackers could have gone for a mass attack against Coinbase and other exchange users, but in that case the hole would be patched very quickly, instead they choose to make a targeted attack, but luckily it was stopped (according to Coinbase).