CVE-2026-4696: Use-after-free in the Layout: Text and Fonts component
Use-after-free in the Layout: Text and Fonts component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox 149, Firefox ESR 115.34, Firefox ESR 140.9, Thunderbird 149, and Thunderbird 140.9.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-4696 is a critical memory safety flaw in Mozilla’s text and font layout handling. A successful attack could compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Mozilla says it is fixed in Firefox 149, Firefox ESR 115.34 and 140.9, Thunderbird 149, and Thunderbird 140.9.
Executive priority
Treat as urgent patching for browsers and mail clients. There is no supplied evidence of active exploitation, but the critical score and memory safety impact justify rapid fleet-wide remediation and exception tracking.
Technical view
The issue is a use-after-free in Layout: Text and Fonts, mapped to CWE-416 and CWE-825. The supplied CVSS 3.1 score is 9.8 with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction. The bundle does not provide trigger details or proof-of-concept information.
Likely exposure
Organizations are exposed where Firefox, Firefox ESR, or Thunderbird remain below the fixed releases named by Mozilla, or where Red Hat-packaged Mozilla components have not received the relevant RHSA updates. ESR deployments and managed desktop fleets are the main inventory focus.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or any cited evidence of active exploitation. Risk remains high because use-after-free flaws in browser or mail-client rendering components can be severe, but exploitation claims should not be made from this evidence alone.
Researcher notes
Public details in the bundle are limited to vulnerability class, component, fixed versions, CVSS, CWE mappings, and vendor references. Avoid assuming exploit primitives or affected code paths beyond Layout: Text and Fonts unless vendor bug details become available.
Mitigation direction
Upgrade Firefox to 149 or the applicable fixed ESR release.
Upgrade Thunderbird to 149 or Thunderbird 140.9 where applicable.
Apply relevant Red Hat RHSA updates for packaged Mozilla components.
Prioritize managed endpoints, VDI images, and ESR channels.
Check Mozilla and Red Hat advisories for platform-specific guidance.
Validation and detection
Inventory Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird versions across endpoints.
Confirm fixed versions are installed after patch deployment.
Review Red Hat advisory applicability for Linux fleets.
Verify package manager update status on managed systems.
Track exceptions for unsupported or pinned browser versions.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
35Source links
SSVC decision data
CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: yesTechnical Impact: total
CVSS vector scores
2 official scores
We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
CWE-416 · source CWE mapping
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Expired Pointer Dereference represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.