CVE-2014-1525 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The mozilla::dom::TextTrack::AddCue function in Mozilla Firefox before 29.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.26 does not properly perform garbage collection for Text Track Manager variables, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (use-after-free and heap memory corruption) via a crafted VIDEO element in an HTML document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1525 represents a critical memory safety issue within the text track management subsystem of Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey browsers. This flaw exists in the mozilla::dom::TextTrack::AddCue function where improper garbage collection handling creates conditions that enable malicious actors to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities. The vulnerability affects versions prior to Firefox 29.0 and SeaMonkey 2.26, making it a significant concern for users running older browser versions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management practices within the text track processing pipeline. When a VIDEO element containing crafted text track data is processed by the browser, the AddCue function fails to properly manage the lifecycle of Text Track Manager variables. This improper garbage collection creates dangling pointers and use-after-free conditions that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The heap memory corruption occurs because freed memory blocks are accessed after being deallocated, leading to unpredictable behavior that attackers can manipulate for malicious purposes.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1525 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can craft malicious HTML documents containing specially formatted VIDEO elements that trigger the vulnerable code path when the browser attempts to process text tracks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which addresses use-after-free errors, and represents a classic example of heap-based memory corruption that can be exploited through web-based attack vectors. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it operates entirely within the browser's rendering context, requiring no additional privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows established patterns documented in various threat intelligence reports and aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to web-based exploitation and code execution. The memory corruption aspects of this vulnerability can be categorized under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Firefox or SeaMonkey face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it provides a direct pathway for remote code execution through web browsing activities. The remediation strategy requires immediate deployment of patched browser versions, with security teams implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensuring all endpoints are updated to versions that contain the necessary memory management fixes.
This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in web browser security architectures and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of memory handling routines in multimedia processing components. The flaw represents a failure in the browser's security model to properly validate and manage text track data processing, creating persistent risks for users who may encounter malicious content through normal web browsing activities. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of broader browser security assessments and ensure that similar memory management issues are identified and addressed in other browser components and web applications.