CVE-2014-1526 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The XrayWrapper implementation in Mozilla Firefox before 29.0 and SeaMonkey before 2.26 allows user-assisted remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via a crafted web site that is visited in the debugger, leading to unwrapping operations and calls to DOM methods on the unwrapped objects.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-1526 represents a critical security flaw in the XrayWrapper implementation within Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey browsers. This issue affects versions prior to Firefox 29.0 and SeaMonkey 2.26, where the security mechanisms designed to protect against unauthorized access to DOM objects have been bypassed through carefully crafted web content. The vulnerability specifically targets the debugger functionality of these browsers, creating a pathway for attackers to circumvent intended access restrictions that should normally prevent malicious code from directly accessing or manipulating core DOM elements.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper handling of unwrapping operations within the XrayWrapper system, which serves as a security layer that should prevent cross-origin access to sensitive DOM objects. When a user visits a malicious website while the debugger is active, the attacker can manipulate the unwrapping process to gain access to objects that should remain protected. This occurs because the XrayWrapper implementation fails to properly validate or restrict the operations that can be performed on unwrapped objects, allowing unauthorized calls to DOM methods that would normally be restricted. The vulnerability exploits the trust relationship between the debugger interface and the underlying security mechanisms, effectively creating a backdoor for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables remote attackers to perform actions that should be impossible within the browser's security model. An attacker can leverage this flaw to access sensitive DOM objects, potentially leading to information disclosure, cross-site scripting attacks, or other malicious activities that exploit the browser's trust in debugger operations. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that the victim must actively visit the malicious website while the debugger is running, but this requirement does not significantly reduce the threat level given the ease with which users can be tricked into visiting malicious sites. The vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental security boundaries that separate trusted browser components from potentially malicious web content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-1526 primarily involve updating to affected browsers to versions that contain the patched XrayWrapper implementation. Mozilla released Firefox 29.0 and SeaMonkey 2.26 with fixes that properly enforce access restrictions during unwrapping operations. Organizations should ensure that all browser installations are updated to these patched versions to prevent exploitation. Additionally, security administrators should monitor for any attempts to exploit this vulnerability through browser-based attacks and implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious requests targeting this specific flaw. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues and can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and code injection through browser-based attack vectors. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures and user education programs to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering tactics that might lead users to visit malicious websites while debugger functionality is active.