Description

Mozilla has released an urgent update for Firefox on Windows to address a critical vulnerability following a similar exploit in Google Chrome. This update affects Firefox versions 136.0.4 and the Extended Support Release (ESR) versions 128.8.1 and 115.21.1. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-2857, involves a sandbox escape issue where a compromised child process could manipulate the parent process, granting it excessive privileges. This issue was specifically noted in Firefox's Inter-Process Communication (IPC) code, which raised concerns after a similar vulnerability was found in Chrome's sandboxing system, known as CVE-2025-2783. The vulnerability CVE-2025-2857 was actively exploited in the wild, making the release of this patch even more urgent. The issue is related to a known Chrome exploit but is unique to Firefox. A sandbox escape can enable malicious actors to bypass security restrictions that are designed to isolate processes, thereby increasing the potential for executing harmful code beyond the browser's sandbox. Given the seriousness of this threat, Mozilla quickly responded to safeguard its users from potential exploits, emphasizing the importance of addressing security flaws before they could be widely exploited. Users of Firefox on Windows are strongly advised to update to the latest version of the browser immediately to mitigate this critical risk. The update will be automatically installed if an internet connection is available, but users can also manually check for updates through the “Help” menu. This proactive response from Mozilla highlights the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and underscores the necessity for ongoing vigilance and timely software updates to maintain user security in the face of evolving risks.