Ubuntu
firefox package

  1. Bug #159258
  2. Comment #39

Comment 39 for bug 159258

Revision history for this message
pierz (p-ohanlon) wrote : Firefox inherits ALL file descriptors when executing external apps (e.g. evince)

Binary package hint: firefox

When Firefox starts up an external application (e.g. Evince) that application inherits ALL file descriptors open by Firefox - this is firstly a potentially large security hole (e.g. security files are also open like key3.db). Secondly it causes residual problems when Firefox (or a plugin like Flash) has opened the audio device - the audio descriptor is inherited and not closed till the spawned app is closed resulting in the audio device being useless till then. I came across this bug when trying to track down the apparent problem of audio lockout with evince - which is still listed as a bug on launchpad - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evince/+bug/102408 - and on gnome: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=371822 I think that these bugs are actually a result of this bug in Firefox

Firefox should follow standard procedures and shut all open file descriptors before execing helper apps.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Nov 1 12:35:08 2007
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 7.10
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: firefox 2.0.0.8+2nobinonly-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: i386
SourcePackage: firefox
Uname: Linux ballard 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 23:05:12 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux