CVE-2006-6015 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the JavaScript implementation in Safari on Apple Mac OS X 10.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long argument to the exec method of a regular expression.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6015 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Safari's JavaScript engine implementation on Apple Mac OS X 10.4 operating systems. This security weakness specifically targets the regular expression exec method functionality, creating a condition where malicious input can trigger unintended memory behavior. The flaw exists in the JavaScript interpreter component that processes regular expression operations, making it accessible through web-based attacks that leverage crafted JavaScript code executed within the Safari browser environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within Safari's JavaScript engine. When a regular expression's exec method receives an argument that exceeds predetermined buffer limits, the application fails to properly handle the overflow condition, leading to memory corruption. This particular flaw manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow, where the excessive argument length causes the program to overwrite adjacent memory locations, ultimately resulting in application instability and crash. The vulnerability operates at the interpreter level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard web page execution without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-6015 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it demonstrates a fundamental weakness in Safari's JavaScript implementation that could potentially be exploited for more severe attacks. While the immediate effect is application crash and service disruption, the underlying buffer overflow condition creates opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges. This vulnerability affects users running Safari on Mac OS X 10.4, which was a widely deployed operating system at the time, making the potential attack surface substantial. The exploitability of this flaw is relatively high since it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities, requiring no specialized knowledge or tools beyond crafting malicious JavaScript code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and system updates to address the underlying JavaScript engine flaw. Apple released security updates to resolve this issue, and users should implement these patches as soon as possible to eliminate the risk of exploitation. Network administrators should consider implementing web content filtering measures to block potentially malicious JavaScript content, though this represents a secondary defense measure rather than a primary solution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript-based execution. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual browser crash patterns and consider browser hardening measures to reduce the attack surface. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes should include verification of patched systems to ensure complete remediation of this and similar JavaScript engine vulnerabilities.