CVE-2006-2277 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Apple Mac OS X 10.4 applications might allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted OpenEXR (.exr) image file, which triggers the crash when opening a folder using Finder, displaying the image in Safari, or using Preview to open the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-2277 represents a critical denial of service issue affecting multiple applications within Apple Mac OS X 10.4 operating system. This security flaw manifests when specific OpenEXR image files are processed by various system components, creating a scenario where legitimate user activities can be disrupted through malicious file manipulation. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of .exr file formats which are commonly used in professional digital imaging and visual effects production environments.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation and error handling within the image processing libraries used by Finder, Safari, and Preview applications. When these applications encounter malformed OpenEXR files, they fail to properly sanitize the input data before attempting to parse the image structure. This processing failure results in memory corruption or stack overflow conditions that ultimately cause the applications to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic weakness in software design where the absence of proper boundary checks and exception handling creates exploitable conditions that can be triggered by context-dependent attacker-controlled inputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially disrupt user productivity and system stability. Users attempting to browse folders containing malicious OpenEXR files may experience Finder crashes, while attempting to view such images in Safari or Preview applications can result in complete application failures. This creates a cascading effect where legitimate users cannot access their image files through standard system interfaces, effectively rendering the affected applications unusable until the system is restarted or the problematic files are removed from the user's environment.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 Input Validation and the broader category of improper input validation issues that frequently appear in operating system components and application frameworks. The attack vector demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack technique described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 technique for network denial of service, where attackers can leverage application vulnerabilities to create system instability. The context-dependent nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation requires specific environmental conditions where the malicious files are actually opened or processed by the vulnerable applications, making it less immediately dangerous than some other classes of vulnerabilities but still significant for system administrators and security professionals.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate application updates and system patches provided by Apple to address the underlying parsing issues in the OpenEXR handling libraries. System administrators should implement file validation policies that prevent potentially malicious image files from entering user environments, particularly in shared or enterprise settings. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening unknown or untrusted image files, and organizations should consider implementing content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious OpenEXR files before they can be processed by vulnerable applications. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and patch management programs to ensure that operating system components remain protected against known vulnerabilities.