CVE-2010-0057 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
AFP Server in Apple Mac OS X before 10.6.3 does not prevent guest use of AFP shares when guest access is disabled, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via a mount request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-0057 represents a critical access control flaw within Apple Mac OS X operating systems prior to version 10.6.3. This issue affects the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) server component that handles file sharing services, specifically when guest access has been explicitly disabled through system configuration. The flaw exists in the server's authentication mechanism and demonstrates a fundamental failure in enforcing access restrictions that administrators have deliberately implemented to protect shared resources. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level where AFP server processes incoming mount requests from remote clients without properly validating whether guest access should be permitted according to system policy. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where unauthorized users can gain access to resources that should be restricted to authenticated users only. The flaw is particularly concerning because it undermines the security model that administrators rely upon when configuring file sharing services, creating a backdoor that bypasses intended security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation within the AFP server's request processing pipeline. When a remote client submits an AFP mount request, the server fails to properly check the guest access configuration settings before allowing the connection to proceed. This occurs because the authentication validation logic does not properly enforce the guest access disabled setting, allowing unauthenticated connections to succeed even when the system has been explicitly configured to prevent such access. The vulnerability manifests when the AFP server receives a mount request from a client that does not provide proper authentication credentials, yet the server still processes the request and grants access to the shared resource. This behavior violates the fundamental security principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in the server's access control enforcement mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects the server-side validation process where it should be checking the system configuration for guest access permissions but instead proceeds with connection establishment regardless of these settings.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations relying on Mac OS X systems for file sharing services. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to shared files and directories that should be protected from guest users, potentially leading to data leakage, unauthorized modifications, or system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive data is stored on AFP shares and where administrators have configured guest access to be disabled as a security measure. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability without requiring any special privileges or credentials, making it a low-effort, high-impact exploit that can be automated and scaled across multiple systems. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity of the system's security posture since it demonstrates that even properly configured access controls can be bypassed, undermining administrator confidence in the security model. This flaw can result in compliance violations for organizations that must maintain strict access controls for regulatory requirements, as it creates an unexpected access path that may not be detected by standard security monitoring tools.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Apple Mac OS X 10.6.3 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper access control enforcement. System administrators should also review and audit existing AFP share configurations to ensure that guest access is properly disabled and monitor for unauthorized access attempts. The mitigation strategy should include implementing network-level controls such as firewall rules that restrict AFP traffic to trusted networks, as well as deploying intrusion detection systems that can monitor for anomalous mount request patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the exposure of AFP services to untrusted networks and establish monitoring procedures for detecting unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that is fundamental to secure system design. The attack pattern described corresponds to techniques found in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and initial access categories, specifically targeting the exploitation of authentication bypass vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to network resources.