CVE-2007-4697 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in WebCore in Apple Mac OS X 10.4 through 10.4.10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application termination) or execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors related to browser history, which triggers memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4697 represents a critical memory corruption issue within the WebCore rendering engine of Apple Mac OS X versions 10.4 through 10.4.10. This flaw exists within the browser history handling mechanisms and demonstrates the dangerous potential for remote code execution or system denial of service when exploited. The unspecified nature of the exact attack vectors makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for security professionals as it may encompass multiple exploitation pathways that could be leveraged by adversaries without specific knowledge of the precise technical details. The WebCore component serves as the core rendering engine for Safari and other Apple applications, making this vulnerability potentially widespread in its impact across the affected operating system versions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the browser history subsystem, where maliciously crafted web content or network traffic could trigger memory corruption conditions. This memory corruption typically occurs when the application fails to properly validate or handle user-supplied data during history navigation operations, leading to buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory-related anomalies that can be exploited to gain arbitrary code execution privileges. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to memory corruption and improper input validation aligns with common attack patterns found in browser-based exploits. According to ATT&CK framework mappings, this vulnerability would fall under the T1059.007 technique category for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4697 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise and persistent access for attackers. When an attacker successfully triggers the memory corruption through malicious web content or network interactions, the application may crash or terminate unexpectedly, but more critically, the corrupted memory state could be manipulated to redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently access untrusted web content or where the affected system serves as a web server or gateway. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Apple operating system versions, creating extensive exposure across enterprise and consumer deployments. Organizations running these older versions of Mac OS X face significant risk from this vulnerability, as the memory corruption can potentially be leveraged to escalate privileges and establish persistent backdoors within the system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems through Apple's security updates, as no reliable workarounds exist for the underlying memory corruption issue. System administrators should prioritize deployment of the official security patches released by Apple to address the WebCore memory handling flaws. Network segmentation and web filtering solutions can provide temporary protection by blocking access to potentially malicious websites, though these measures do not address the root cause of the vulnerability. The implementation of intrusion detection systems that monitor for anomalous browser behavior or memory corruption patterns may help identify exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of accessing untrusted web content and the importance of keeping their operating systems updated. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual application termination patterns or memory allocation errors that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized code, particularly in high-risk environments where the vulnerability could be exploited to compromise critical systems.