CVE-2005-2516 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Safari in Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.2, when rendering Rich Text Format (RTF) files, can directly access URLs without performing the normal security checks, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2025
This vulnerability exists in Apple Safari web browser when running on Mac OS X versions 10.3.9 and 10.4.2, specifically when processing Rich Text Format files. The flaw stems from an insufficient validation mechanism that allows RTF documents to contain embedded hyperlinks or commands that bypass the standard security protocols normally enforced by the browser. When a user opens a malicious RTF file, Safari attempts to process the embedded content without proper sanitization, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by remote adversaries. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-264 due to inadequate access control mechanisms and represents a significant security weakness in the application's handling of external content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way Safari processes RTF formatting instructions, particularly those that reference external resources or contain executable commands. When the browser encounters an RTF document with embedded URLs or command sequences, it fails to perform the necessary security checks that would normally prevent access to potentially harmful resources. This misconfiguration allows attackers to embed malicious code within RTF files that executes automatically when the document is opened, effectively bypassing the normal sandboxing and security restrictions that protect users from arbitrary code execution. The flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the trust model that Safari places in locally opened documents.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote code execution attacks that can compromise user systems without requiring any user interaction beyond opening a malicious file. Attackers can craft RTF documents that contain embedded malicious URLs or commands, which when opened by an unsuspecting user, will execute arbitrary code on the victim's machine with the privileges of the user running Safari. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open infected documents, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability affects a wide range of users and systems running the affected Mac OS X versions, making it a critical security concern.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate system updates and security configuration adjustments. Users should upgrade to patched versions of Mac OS X and Safari as soon as possible, as Apple would have released security updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict file filtering policies that prevent the automatic opening of RTF files from untrusted sources, disable automatic execution of embedded content, and employ sandboxing solutions that limit the privileges of applications processing external documents. Network administrators should consider implementing content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious RTF files, while security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability. Additionally, user education about the risks of opening untrusted documents and the importance of keeping software updated remains crucial in defending against this type of attack vector.