CVE-2004-1199 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Safari 1.2.4 on Mac OS X 10.3.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash from memory exhaustion), as demonstrated using Javascript code that continuously creates nested arrays and then sorts the newly created arrays.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2019
This vulnerability affects Apple Safari version 1.2.4 running on Mac OS X 10.3.6 and represents a classic memory exhaustion flaw that can be exploited to cause application crashes through malicious javascript code. The issue stems from inadequate memory management within the browser's javascript engine, specifically when handling nested array operations during sorting procedures. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400 as an unchecked resource allocation, where the browser fails to properly monitor and limit memory consumption during recursive array creation and sorting operations. Attackers can exploit this by crafting javascript code that continuously generates nested arrays and immediately sorts them, leading to rapid memory consumption that eventually exhausts available system resources and causes the application to crash.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a sophisticated approach to resource exhaustion attacks that leverages the javascript engine's handling of array data structures. When the malicious script executes, it creates deeply nested array structures and performs sorting operations on these arrays, which triggers memory allocation patterns that are not properly bounded or monitored by the browser's memory management system. This creates a memory leak scenario where allocated memory blocks are not efficiently reclaimed, leading to progressive memory consumption until the system resources are exhausted. The attack vector specifically targets the javascript interpreter's memory handling during sorting operations, where the algorithm may not properly account for the exponential growth of memory requirements when dealing with nested array structures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users of the affected browser version as it allows remote attackers to disrupt service without requiring any special privileges or access to the system. The denial of service condition affects the usability of the Safari browser, forcing users to restart the application and potentially lose unsaved work or session data. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where browser stability is critical for productivity, as it can be exploited through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The impact extends beyond individual user experience to potential business continuity issues when multiple users are affected simultaneously through shared network resources or web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to a newer version of Safari that includes proper memory management fixes and bounds checking for array operations. System administrators should implement web content filtering and sandboxing measures to limit exposure to potentially malicious javascript content. Additionally, browser security configurations should be reviewed to ensure proper memory limits are enforced, and monitoring systems should be implemented to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how javascript-based memory management flaws can be exploited to create application-level denial of service conditions. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other browser components or web technologies.