CVE-2007-3185 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Apple Safari Beta 3.0.1 for Windows public beta allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via unspecified DHTML manipulations that trigger memory corruption, as demonstrated using Hamachi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3185 affects Apple Safari Beta 3.0.1 for Windows, representing a critical memory corruption issue that can be exploited remotely to cause denial of service conditions. This flaw specifically manifests through unspecified DHTML manipulations that trigger memory corruption within the browser's rendering engine, leading to unexpected application crashes and system instability. The vulnerability was demonstrated using Hamachi, a virtual private network software that leverages DHTML and JavaScript for its web-based interface, highlighting the potential for exploitation through legitimate web applications that utilize dynamic content manipulation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues that can be classified as CWE-122, which represents heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The flaw occurs when Safari processes certain DHTML elements that manipulate the Document Object Model in ways that cause the browser to allocate or access memory beyond its intended boundaries. This type of vulnerability represents a fundamental weakness in the browser's memory management and input validation mechanisms, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize dynamic content manipulation operations that could lead to arbitrary memory access patterns.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security concerns for users running the affected Safari beta version, as it allows remote attackers to cause system instability without requiring any local privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The denial of service condition can be particularly disruptive in enterprise environments where browser stability is critical for business operations, potentially leading to productivity losses and requiring immediate patching or workaround implementation. The vulnerability's exploitation through Hamachi demonstrates that legitimate applications using DHTML can inadvertently trigger the memory corruption, making the attack surface broader than initially anticipated.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves the use of malicious content to cause system instability or denial of service conditions. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a precursor to more sophisticated exploitation techniques that could potentially be extended to achieve remote code execution, making it a critical target for remediation. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Safari, as the beta nature of the affected software indicates that this vulnerability was likely present in other versions of the browser as well. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of comprehensive testing of browser components, particularly those handling dynamic content manipulation, to prevent similar issues in future releases.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of security patches provided by Apple, along with network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious DHTML content patterns. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual browser crash patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browser software updated remains crucial in defending against this class of vulnerability. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of thorough security testing during software development phases, particularly for browser components that handle dynamic content processing and memory management operations.