CVE-2009-0020 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in CarbonCore in Apple Mac OS X 10.4.11 and 10.5.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application termination) and execute arbitrary code via a crafted resource fork that triggers memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0020 resides within CarbonCore, a foundational framework component of Apple Mac OS X operating systems. This issue affects specific versions including Mac OS X 10.4.11 and 10.5.6, representing a critical security flaw that demonstrates the complex interplay between system frameworks and memory management. CarbonCore serves as a core component that provides essential services for application development and system operations, making its vulnerabilities particularly dangerous as they can impact numerous applications running on the affected platforms.
The technical flaw manifests through improper handling of crafted resource forks within the CarbonCore framework. Resource forks are data structures used by macOS to store additional metadata alongside files, and when these forks contain maliciously constructed data, they can trigger memory corruption errors. This memory corruption occurs during the processing of resource fork data structures, leading to unpredictable behavior in the application or system. The vulnerability's nature aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-125, which deals with out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, addressing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. These classifications highlight the fundamental memory management issues that enable attackers to manipulate system behavior through carefully crafted inputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, encompassing full arbitrary code execution capabilities. When an application processes a malicious resource fork, the memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical program memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. This represents a significant escalation from basic denial of service, as it provides attackers with persistent access to system resources and the ability to perform further malicious activities. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means attackers can trigger these conditions without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly concerning for networked environments.
Attackers leveraging this vulnerability typically employ techniques aligned with ATT&CK framework's T1059.007, which covers command and scripting interpreter execution, and T1068, covering exploit for privilege escalation. The exploitation process involves crafting specific resource fork data that, when processed by applications relying on CarbonCore, causes memory corruption leading to code execution. This vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of T1203, which addresses exploitation of remote services, as it allows remote attackers to compromise systems through network-based resource fork processing. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while also ensuring proper application sandboxing and privilege separation. System administrators must prioritize patch management and monitoring for anomalous resource fork processing activities, as these patterns can indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of Mac OS X underscores the importance of maintaining current system updates and applying security patches promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation.