CVE-2014-1590 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
The XMLHttpRequest.prototype.send method in Mozilla Firefox before 34.0, Firefox ESR 31.x before 31.3, Thunderbird before 31.3, and SeaMonkey before 2.31 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted JavaScript object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1590 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Mozilla Firefox and related applications. This issue resides within the XMLHttpRequest.prototype.send method, which is a fundamental component of web browser functionality for handling asynchronous HTTP requests. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of Firefox prior to 34.0, Firefox ESR 31.x prior to 31.3, Thunderbird prior to 31.3, and SeaMonkey prior to 2.31, creating a widespread attack surface across multiple Mozilla products. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious JavaScript objects that can trigger application crashes, effectively disrupting normal user operations and potentially providing a vector for more sophisticated attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the XMLHttpRequest implementation. When the send method processes crafted JavaScript objects, it fails to properly handle malformed or unexpected data structures, leading to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with memory safety issues that can be exploited through JavaScript execution contexts, where attacker-controlled data flows through the application's processing pipeline without adequate sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1590 extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be leveraged to create persistent denial of service conditions that affect user productivity and system availability. Attackers can craft web pages or email content that, when processed by vulnerable browsers, will cause immediate application crashes. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates entirely within the browser's JavaScript execution environment, requiring no special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a compromised email. The attack vector is highly accessible, making it attractive for mass deployment in botnet operations or as part of larger attack campaigns targeting web browsers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1211, which involves exploitation of vulnerabilities in software applications, and T1499, which covers network denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment across all affected Mozilla products, as the flaw represents a critical security risk that can be exploited without user interaction. Organizations should prioritize updating their browser installations to versions 34.0 or later, ensuring that Firefox ESR 31.3, Thunderbird 31.3, and SeaMonkey 2.31 or newer are deployed. Additionally, network administrators should implement web filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains and consider implementing browser security policies that restrict JavaScript execution in sensitive contexts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in core browser functionality can have significant operational consequences. Security teams should also monitor for exploitation attempts and implement appropriate intrusion detection measures to identify potential abuse of this vulnerability in the wild.