CVE-2008-2308 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Alias Manager in Apple Mac OS X 10.5.1 and earlier on Intel platforms allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) by resolving an alias that contains crafted AFP volume mount information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2308 represents a critical security flaw within Apple Mac OS X 10.5.1 and earlier versions that specifically affects Intel-based systems. This issue resides within the Alias Manager component, which is responsible for handling file system aliases and symbolic links that facilitate navigation between different file locations. The vulnerability manifests when the system attempts to resolve aliases that contain specially crafted AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) volume mount information, creating a scenario where legitimate system operations can be exploited for malicious purposes. The Alias Manager's failure to properly validate and sanitize input data from these crafted aliases creates a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the Alias Manager's processing pipeline. When a user or application attempts to resolve an alias containing maliciously constructed AFP volume information, the system's parsing mechanism fails to properly handle the malformed data structure. This improper handling leads to memory corruption within the kernel or user-space processes that manage file system operations. The flaw essentially allows attackers to manipulate the memory layout of critical system components through carefully crafted alias files, potentially causing buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory management errors that result in application crashes or system instability. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2308 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass potential privilege escalation capabilities that could allow local attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker who gains access to a system running vulnerable Mac OS X versions could create malicious alias files that, when resolved by unsuspecting users or system processes, would trigger the memory corruption. This could result in complete system compromise, particularly when the affected system is running with administrative privileges or when the alias resolution occurs in contexts where elevated privileges are automatically granted. The vulnerability's local nature means that physical access or existing user-level access is required to exploit it, but once exploited, the consequences can be severe enough to allow attackers to gain root access to the system. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability as part of a broader exploitation strategy, potentially using it to establish persistent access or to escalate privileges within the system's security model.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate protection and long-term system hardening measures. The most effective immediate solution involves applying Apple's official security patches and updates that specifically address this vulnerability within the Alias Manager component. System administrators should ensure that all Mac OS X systems are updated to versions that contain the necessary fixes, as Apple released patches that corrected the input validation flaws in the AFP volume resolution process. Additionally, implementing strict file system access controls and monitoring for unusual alias file creation patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security professionals should also consider implementing application sandboxing and privilege separation mechanisms to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers the use of local privilege escalation techniques, and T1059, which addresses command and scripting interpreter usage for exploitation purposes. Organizations should also establish comprehensive monitoring procedures to detect anomalous alias resolution behavior, particularly in environments where users may have the ability to create or modify alias files.