CVE-2009-0139 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the SMB component in Apple Mac OS X 10.5.6 allows remote SMB servers to cause a denial of service (system shutdown) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted SMB file system that triggers a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-0139 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the Server Message Block implementation of Apple Mac OS X 10.5.6 operating system. This issue resides in the SMB component that handles network file sharing protocols, specifically affecting how the system processes SMB file system requests from remote servers. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the SMB subsystem, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the system's memory allocation processes. When a remote SMB server sends a specially crafted SMB file system request, the integer overflow condition triggers a cascade of memory corruption issues that can result in system instability or complete system shutdown.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of integer values that control buffer sizes and memory allocations within the SMB processing code. When these integer values exceed their maximum representable range, they wrap around to negative values or zero, causing the system to allocate insufficient memory for buffer operations. This overflow condition creates heap-based buffer overflow scenarios where adjacent memory regions become corrupted, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical system data structures or execution pointers. The vulnerability's classification as a heap-based buffer overflow aligns with CWE-121, which specifically addresses heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and reflects the underlying memory management flaw in the SMB implementation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Mac OS X 10.5.6 systems that are configured to communicate with SMB servers or have SMB services enabled. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can leverage this flaw from outside the local network without requiring local system access or authentication credentials. The potential impact includes both denial of service conditions that can force system shutdowns and arbitrary code execution that could allow full system compromise. Systems running in enterprise environments where Mac OS X systems interact with various SMB servers, including Windows file servers or other networked storage systems, face heightened exposure to this vulnerability.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple network-based exploitation to include scenarios where legitimate SMB traffic might be manipulated or where compromised network devices could serve malicious SMB responses. The vulnerability's presence in the core SMB implementation means that any application or service relying on SMB file system access could potentially be exploited, including file sharing applications, network management tools, and backup services. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in relation to ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications, as the same memory corruption principles could be leveraged for more sophisticated attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-0139 primarily focus on immediate system updates and operational security measures. Apple released patches for Mac OS X 10.5.6 that addressed the integer overflow conditions in the SMB component, making system updates the primary recommended solution. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit SMB traffic to trusted sources and consider disabling SMB services when not required. Additionally, monitoring network traffic for suspicious SMB activity and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current system patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor memory management flaws can result in severe operational consequences, particularly in enterprise environments where network services are extensively utilized.