CVE-2008-1032 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Incomplete blacklist vulnerability in CoreTypes in Apple Mac OS X before 10.5.3 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an (1) Automator, (2) Help, (3) Safari, or (4) Terminal content type for a downloadable object, which does not trigger a "potentially unsafe" warning message in (a) the Download Validation feature in Mac OS X 10.4 or (b) the Quarantine feature in Mac OS X 10.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2025
This vulnerability resides in the CoreTypes framework of Apple Mac OS X operating systems prior to version 10.5.3, representing a critical incomplete blacklist security flaw that enables remote code execution through multiple application vectors. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the system's content type handling, where certain file types that should be flagged as potentially dangerous are incorrectly permitted to execute without proper user warnings. The affected components include Automator, Help, Safari, and Terminal applications, each serving as distinct attack pathways for malicious content delivery. This weakness specifically impacts the Download Validation feature present in Mac OS X 10.4 and the Quarantine feature introduced in Mac OS X 10.5, both of which rely on comprehensive blacklists to identify and warn users about potentially unsafe downloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental flaw in how the operating system categorizes and validates file content types during download operations. When users download files through any of the affected applications, the system fails to properly validate the content type against a complete list of dangerous file extensions or MIME types. This incomplete validation allows attackers to craft malicious files that appear benign to the system's security checks while actually containing executable code that can be silently executed. The vulnerability specifically affects the quarantine mechanisms that should prevent execution of downloaded files until user confirmation, but these protections are bypassed due to the missing entries in the blacklist. This represents a classic security bypass issue where the system's defense-in-depth approach is compromised by a single point of failure in its content validation process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple attack scenarios, each leveraging different application interfaces to deliver malicious payloads. An attacker could exploit this weakness through Safari web browsing by hosting malicious content that appears as legitimate files, through Automator workflows that process user inputs, via Help system content that might be updated with malicious code, or through Terminal commands that execute downloaded content. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that users must actively download and interact with the malicious content, but the lack of warning messages removes the critical human verification step that should prevent execution of potentially dangerous files. This vulnerability essentially undermines the core security principle of user awareness and consent, allowing automated execution of malicious code without proper system warnings.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and the broader ATT&CK framework's execution techniques that involve malicious file downloads and code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the system's input validation controls and represents a significant risk to user security. Mitigation strategies include immediate installation of Apple's security patches for Mac OS X 10.5.3 and later versions, implementing network-level filtering to block known malicious content types, and educating users about the importance of verifying file sources before downloading. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting, network firewalls, and endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block suspicious download activities regardless of the operating system's built-in validation mechanisms. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical need for comprehensive input validation in all system components that handle user-provided data.