CVE-2005-0713 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The Bluetooth Setup Assistant for Mac OS X before 10.3.8 can be launched without a keyboard or Bluetooth device, which allows local users to bypass access restrictions and gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0713 represents a significant security flaw in the Bluetooth Setup Assistant component of Mac OS X versions prior to 10.3.8. This issue stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the system's Bluetooth configuration interface, creating an exploitable condition that allows local attackers to bypass normal access controls. The vulnerability specifically affects the privilege escalation capabilities of the operating system, enabling unauthorized users to gain elevated system privileges through a seemingly innocuous launch of the Bluetooth Setup Assistant utility. The flaw exists because the application does not properly verify the presence of required input devices or authenticate the user context before executing privileged operations.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a privilege escalation vector through improper access control implementation. The Bluetooth Setup Assistant, when launched without proper authentication checks, executes code with elevated privileges that should normally be restricted to authorized users. This represents a classic example of inadequate input validation and privilege management, aligning with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control vulnerabilities. The system fails to enforce proper security boundaries when launching the assistant, allowing any local user to potentially invoke privileged operations that should require authentication or specific user context verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further system compromise. Local users who can manipulate the launch conditions of the Bluetooth Setup Assistant can effectively bypass the normal security model of Mac OS X, potentially gaining access to sensitive system functions, files, or network configurations. This vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign system utilities can become attack vectors when proper access control mechanisms are absent. The impact is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where one user might attempt to escalate privileges to gain administrative access over the system.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication checks before launching privileged utilities and ensuring that system components properly validate user context and input device presence. System administrators should immediately update affected Mac OS X installations to version 10.3.8 or later, where Apple addressed this specific privilege escalation issue. The fix implemented by Apple likely involved strengthening the authentication requirements for the Bluetooth Setup Assistant and ensuring that proper access controls are enforced regardless of how the application is launched. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual launches of system utilities and maintaining current system patch levels to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This issue serves as a reminder of the importance of proper privilege separation and authentication mechanisms in system utilities, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploits.