CVE-2008-1027 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) Server in Apple Mac OS X before 10.5.3 does not verify that requested files and directories are inside shared folders, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified AFP traffic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-1027 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within Apple's AFP server implementation on Mac OS X systems. This issue affects versions prior to 10.5.3 and stems from insufficient input validation within the AFP protocol handling mechanism. The flaw specifically manifests when the AFP server fails to properly validate file paths requested by clients, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal access controls and traverse outside of designated shared folder boundaries. This vulnerability operates at the protocol level, leveraging the inherent trust model of AFP services without proper boundary checking.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted AFP traffic that manipulates file path requests to access files and directories outside of their intended sharing scope. Attackers can construct malicious AFP requests that include directory traversal sequences such as "../" or similar path manipulation techniques to escape the confines of shared folders. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability exists because the AFP server implementation lacks proper path validation and normalization before processing file access requests, creating a fundamental security gap in the file sharing service's access control mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to Mac OS X systems running affected AFP servers, as it enables unauthorized remote file access to any file on the system that the AFP service process can access. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially allow attackers to access sensitive system files, user data, and configuration information that should remain protected within shared folder boundaries. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where AFP services are exposed to untrusted networks. The attack surface includes not only user files but also system-critical components that could be leveraged for further compromise, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system and T1083 for file and directory discovery.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2008-1027 requires immediate patching of affected Mac OS X systems to version 10.5.3 or later, which includes the necessary security fixes to properly validate file paths within AFP requests. System administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit access to AFP services, disable AFP services when not required, and monitor AFP traffic for suspicious path traversal attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper network access controls, using firewall rules to restrict AFP service exposure, and conducting regular security assessments to identify other potential path traversal vulnerabilities in file sharing services. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper input validation and path normalization within the AFP server implementation, ensuring that all file access requests are properly checked against the configured shared folder boundaries before processing. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious AFP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.