CVE-2008-0999 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Apple Mac OS X 10.5.2 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted Universal Disc Format (UDF) disk image, which triggers a NULL pointer dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0999 represents a critical denial of service weakness in Apple Mac OS X version 10.5.2 that stems from improper handling of Universal Disc Format disk images. This flaw manifests when the operating system processes a specially crafted UDF disk image that contains malformed data structures, leading to a system crash due to a NULL pointer dereference condition. The vulnerability operates under the principle of user-assisted exploitation, meaning that an attacker must convince a user to mount or interact with the malicious disk image for the attack to succeed. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference issues, representing a fundamental programming error where software attempts to access memory through a null reference without proper validation. The attack vector specifically targets the file system handling components within the operating system's kernel, particularly those responsible for processing optical disc image formats.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Mac OS X system attempts to parse the metadata and structure of the crafted UDF disk image. During this parsing process, the system encounters a condition where a pointer variable that should contain a valid memory address instead holds a NULL value, yet the code does not properly check for this condition before attempting to dereference the pointer. This results in an immediate system crash or kernel panic, effectively causing a denial of service condition that renders the affected system temporarily unusable until a reboot occurs. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and error handling practices within the file system subsystem, specifically in how it manages Universal Disc Format structures that are commonly used for optical disc imaging and distribution. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, though in this case the attack is local and leverages file system processing rather than network protocols.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-0999 extends beyond simple system instability as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. An attacker could potentially use this denial of service capability as part of a broader attack strategy to disrupt services or create conditions for additional exploits. The vulnerability affects all systems running Mac OS X 10.5.2 and earlier versions, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where multiple systems might be exposed to this risk. Organizations should note that this vulnerability could be exploited in targeted attacks against specific users or systems, particularly in environments where users might be encouraged to mount or interact with unknown or untrusted optical disk images. The lack of automatic exploitation requirements means that social engineering or user manipulation remains a necessary component of the attack, but this also makes the vulnerability more difficult to detect through automated security scanning. System administrators should consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual file system activity or disk image mounting operations that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of timely patch management and proper system hardening practices to prevent exploitation of such fundamental operating system flaws.