CVE-2009-2797 in iPhone OS
Summary
by MITRE
The WebKit component in Safari in Apple iPhone OS before 3.1, and iPhone OS before 3.1.1 for iPod touch, does not remove usernames and passwords from URLs sent in Referer headers, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by reading Referer logs on a web server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2797 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that was present in Safari browsers across iOS devices. This issue specifically affected iPhone OS versions prior to 3.1 and iPod touch versions prior to 3.1.1, creating a significant security risk for users who accessed web services requiring authentication. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in how the browser handles authentication credentials within URL references, exposing sensitive user information through HTTP header transmission mechanisms. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the Referer header functionality that web servers use to track user navigation patterns and source references.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from WebKit's improper handling of URL parsing and credential management within HTTP headers. When users navigated to web pages that required authentication, the browser would include username and password credentials directly within the Referer header if they were present in the original URL. This behavior violates fundamental security principles and creates a dangerous exposure point where authentication tokens can be intercepted and logged by web servers. The flaw is classified as a CWE-200 - Information Exposure, specifically related to the improper handling of sensitive information within HTTP headers. This vulnerability enables attackers to exploit the logging mechanisms of web servers that record Referer headers, potentially compromising user accounts and authentication sessions. The issue represents a failure in the principle of least privilege where sensitive authentication data should never be transmitted in headers without explicit user consent or secure handling mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass broader security implications for mobile web browsing environments. Mobile users who accessed authenticated web services, financial applications, or corporate portals were at risk of having their credentials exposed through server logs, which could be accessed by malicious actors with system-level privileges or through log analysis tools. This vulnerability particularly affected enterprise environments where mobile device security was paramount, as it created an attack vector that could compromise user access to sensitive corporate resources. The risk was amplified by the widespread use of iOS devices in business and personal contexts, where users frequently accessed services requiring authentication. Security professionals recognized this as a critical issue that could be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors, potentially leading to account takeovers, unauthorized data access, and privilege escalation within web applications that relied on URL-based authentication mechanisms.
The remediation for this vulnerability required Apple to implement proper URL parsing and credential sanitization within the WebKit component of Safari. The fix involved ensuring that authentication credentials were stripped from URLs before being included in Referer headers, aligning with the HTTP specifications and security best practices established by the IETF. Organizations should have implemented immediate patches and updates to prevent exploitation, while also reviewing their web server configurations to minimize the exposure of sensitive information in log files. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in web applications, particularly in mobile environments where users may be accessing sensitive services. The incident underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of mobile browser components and the importance of adhering to security standards such as those defined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 - Phishing, as it could be leveraged to harvest credentials from unsuspecting users who accessed authenticated web services through vulnerable iOS devices. The broader implications include the necessity for mobile device management policies that ensure timely security updates and the implementation of secure coding practices that prevent similar information disclosure vulnerabilities in future software releases.