---
title: "CVE-2021-23979\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-23979?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2021-23979

Publication date 26 February 2021

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**8.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-23979?format=md#impact-score)

Toggle side navigation

## Description

Mozilla developers reported memory safety bugs present in Firefox 85. Some
of these bugs showed evidence of memory corruption and we presume that with
enough effort some of these could have been exploited to run arbitrary
code. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 86.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-23979?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| firefox | 24.04 LTS noble | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 23.10 mantic | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 23.04 lunar | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 22.10 kinetic | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 21.10 impish | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 21.04 hirsute | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu1 |
| 20.10 groovy | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu0.20.10.1 |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 86.0+build3-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| mozjs38 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 23.04 lunar | Not in release |
| 22.10 kinetic | Not in release |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 21.10 impish | Not in release |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not in release |
| 20.10 groovy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Ignored |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| mozjs52 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 23.04 lunar | Not in release |
| 22.10 kinetic | Not in release |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 21.10 impish | Not in release |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not in release |
| 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Ignored |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| mozjs60 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 23.04 lunar | Not in release |
| 22.10 kinetic | Not in release |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 21.10 impish | Not in release |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not in release |
| 20.10 groovy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| mozjs68 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 23.04 lunar | Not in release |
| 22.10 kinetic | Not in release |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 21.10 impish | Not in release |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not in release |
| 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| mozjs78 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Ignored |
| 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life |
| 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life |
| 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Notes

---

### [tyhicks](https://launchpad.net/~tyhicks)

mozjs contains a copy of the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

8.8 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 8.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-23979)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23979)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2021-23979)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-23979)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-4756-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4756-1)
+ Firefox vulnerabilities
+ 26 February 2021

### Other references

* <https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2021-07/#CVE-2021-23979>
* <https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?bug_id=1663222%2C1666607%2C1672120%2C1678463%2C1678927%2C1679560%2C1681297%2C1681684%2C1683490%2C1684377%2C1684902>
* <https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-07/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23979>
