CVE-2007-0733 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in ImageIO in Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4 through 10.4.8 allows remote user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted RAW image that triggers memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0733 represents a critical memory corruption issue within Apple Mac OS X ImageIO framework affecting versions 10.3.9 through 10.4.8. This flaw resides in the handling of RAW image files and demonstrates how image processing libraries can become attack vectors for sophisticated exploitation. The vulnerability operates through a user-assisted remote attack model where an attacker must convince a victim to open a specially crafted RAW image file, making it a particularly insidious threat in environments where users frequently interact with multimedia content. The underlying nature of the vulnerability allows for both denial of service conditions that crash applications and potential arbitrary code execution, creating a dual threat that can compromise system integrity and availability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the ImageIO framework's RAW image parser. When processing malformed RAW image data, the system fails to properly validate input boundaries and memory allocation parameters, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires careful crafting of the RAW image file to trigger specific memory corruption patterns that cause the application to crash or potentially execute unintended code. The attack vector demonstrates how multimedia processing libraries can become entry points for privilege escalation or system compromise when proper input validation mechanisms are absent.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for Mac OS X users who regularly handle digital imagery or work in environments where they might encounter untrusted image files. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that social engineering or phishing campaigns could effectively leverage this vulnerability by enticing users to open malicious RAW images through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing platforms. The potential for arbitrary code execution transforms this into a serious security concern that could allow attackers to gain system-level privileges or install persistent malware. Organizations running Mac OS X systems in enterprise environments face particular risk as this vulnerability could be exploited to compromise entire networks through targeted attacks on specific user accounts or departments.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0733 require immediate system updates and patch management procedures to address the underlying memory corruption issues within ImageIO. Apple's official security updates for this vulnerability would include memory validation fixes and improved input sanitization for RAW image processing. Network administrators should implement strict file type filtering and scanning procedures for incoming image files, particularly in environments where users might encounter untrusted content. The vulnerability's characteristics make it particularly susceptible to defense-in-depth strategies including sandboxing of image processing applications, regular security assessments of multimedia handling code, and implementation of automated threat detection systems that monitor for abnormal application behavior patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could exploit this vulnerability through user-assisted exploitation methods.