563855 - While browsing ubuntu forums a malware window was displayed alerting for a system security

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: Security, defect)

Description

[wilbug]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100501 Namoroka/3.6.3
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100501 Namoroka/3.6.3

I had just install a new Linux O/S and Firefox. No personalization were done yet at both. I was browsing Ubuntu Foruns, when soon appeared a new window that looked like a "genuine" system security warning about a security issue, and asking to click a buttom for a system survey.
I disconnected my modem, and pressed ok. Then, a new Firefox windows tab opened, showing graphical activity, similar to a virus scan.
I took a screenshot and hard disconnected the pc.
Next time I logged in, Firefox was unable to get started. 

Reproducible: Didn't try




Please note that together with being using a just installed linux o/s I was visiting sites that I use to visit, by routine, since I use Linux/Firefox (1 year). Never ever before, anywhere, anything (even far) similar, had happened.
 
So, this looks like a vulnerability at Firefox, by the apparent easy manner how I was targeted with the referred window while using a safe (Ubuntu Forum) site, and also because, even after disconnecting the net, Firefox opened a new window tab, showing graphical activity.

As it happened on a just installed system, I cannot information about loss of information. 

The reason why Firefox did not start at next boot, may have been caused by the hard shut down or by the malware. Everything else, system wise, looks ok. 

For this reason I'll classify this as a security issue, with normal severity, that should be fixed.

Comment 1

[wilbug]

Attachment: screen shot showing desktop and Firefox info regarding the reported bug

Picture showing desktop, visited sites, and malware site.

Comment 2

[Tim (fmdeveloper)]

This looks like a typical fake anti-virus "malvertisement" that shows up as a pop-up. Are you able to start Firefox normally now? If not, can you start Firefox in Safe Mode? http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode.

Comment 3

[wilbug]

I understand it was a pop-up window. I also understand that when I clicked in it, I was taken to another web site, trying to lure a Windows user that what he/she was seeing was somewhere of his own desktop environment. 
What I miss is the reason why the pop-up come up while I was browsing supposedly secure sites, in this case, as you may see from the picture, Ubuntu Forums.  
I also miss why I was taken to that site, after my net connection were already taken off, and it did keep showing graphical activity. 
To restart Firefox, my first try was to replace all files inside my home directory, at /.mozilla/firefox/xyz123.default, with files taken from another distro. It did work at first attempt. But after closing Firefox, when I wanted to use it later, it did not start again. So I ended up by deleting all /.Mozilla (kept a copy of it elsewhere) remove Firefox, and reinstall.

Comment 4

[wilbug]

To complement the above comment. Before the pop-up, I had been using a previous  browser window, and it was still opened. In it, I had clicked one or two links to sites that were supposed to show statistics about o/s's utilization. I did not looked them. Kept it open, and moved on to a new browser window to search the ubuntu foruns.
As I'm not sure if it were 1 or 2 links, I'd like to ask you: Can I confirm all history of the visited sites, from the baked up files in the mozilla home directory? 
Later, I visited one of the links, and it was safe. But I'm not totally sure about the possible second one.

Comment 5

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

Please use the support under http://support.mozilla.com (Forum).
We don't answer support questions or help here.

Comment 6

[wilbug]

To sum it up:

1) I'm not connected to the net, and Firefox keeps opening browser windows.

2) I'm not connected to the net, and Firefox keeps opening browser windows, and this windows keep displaying graphical activity.
Question:
If this is not a bug, does someone can explain me what is it?

Comment 7

[wilbug]

I'll not use any support. My time is valuable, I've told it all about it.  Next step is up to you.

Thanks a lot, for the time I missed to help you !!!!!