CVE-2007-0464 in CFNetwork
Summary
by MITRE
The _CFNetConnectionWillEnqueueRequests function in CFNetwork 129.19 on Apple Mac OS X 10.4 through 10.4.10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted HTTP 301 response, which results in a NULL pointer dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0464 resides within the CFNetwork framework of Apple Mac OS X versions 10.4 through 10.4.10, specifically within the _CFNetConnectionWillEnqueueRequests function. This flaw represents a classic null pointer dereference issue that occurs when processing HTTP 301 redirect responses from remote servers. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted HTTP 301 response is received by the affected system, causing the CFNetwork component to attempt to access a null pointer during its request processing workflow. This particular function serves as a critical component in managing network connection requests and queue management within the operating system's networking stack, making it a prime target for denial of service attacks that can bring applications to a complete halt.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern that aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. When a remote attacker crafts an HTTP 301 response containing malformed headers or unexpected data structures, the _CFNetConnectionWillEnqueueRequests function fails to properly validate the incoming response data before attempting to process it. This lack of proper input validation creates a scenario where the function attempts to dereference a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to null, leading to an immediate application crash. The issue demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the error handling mechanisms of the CFNetwork implementation, where the system does not adequately protect against malformed network responses that could originate from compromised or malicious web servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can be leveraged to create persistent denial of service conditions that affect the entire network connectivity of affected systems. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web servers that respond to HTTP requests with specially crafted 301 redirects, causing any Mac OS X system that attempts to access these resources to crash and restart the networking services. This type of attack directly corresponds to the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which focuses on network denial of service attacks through application or system crashes. The vulnerability affects a significant portion of the Mac OS X 10.4.x user base, as this version range was widely deployed in enterprise and consumer environments, making the potential impact of this flaw substantial across multiple organizational sectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0464 should focus on immediate system updates and network-level protections to prevent exploitation. Apple addressed this vulnerability through security updates that included enhanced input validation within the CFNetwork framework and improved error handling mechanisms for HTTP response processing. Organizations should prioritize applying the official security patches released by Apple, which specifically target the null pointer dereference condition in the _CFNetConnectionWillEnqueueRequests function. Network administrators can implement additional protective measures such as web proxy filtering and content inspection to block suspicious HTTP 301 responses before they reach vulnerable systems. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing robust application sandboxing and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of such attacks, particularly in enterprise environments where a single compromised system could affect multiple networked devices. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated systems to ensure that the patched CFNetwork implementation properly handles all types of HTTP responses without crashing, while maintaining the expected functionality of network services and applications that depend on this core framework.