CVE-2010-0508 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Mail in Apple Mac OS X before 10.6.3 does not disable the filter rules associated with a deleted mail account, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-0508 affects Apple Mac OS X versions prior to 10.6.3, specifically within the Mail application's handling of account management and filter rules. This issue represents a classic case of improper resource cleanup where the system fails to properly dispose of filter rules when a mail account is removed from the configuration. The flaw stems from the application's failure to maintain proper synchronization between account lifecycle events and associated filtering configurations, creating a persistent security gap that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability resides in the Mail application's account management subsystem where filter rules are not properly dissociated from deleted accounts. When a user removes a mail account from their configuration, the system should automatically clean up all associated filter rules to prevent unintended processing of messages. However, in affected versions, these rules remain active in the system's filter pipeline, potentially processing incoming mail through outdated or maliciously configured filters. This behavior creates a persistent state where deleted account configurations continue to influence mail processing, effectively providing a vector for continued unauthorized access or manipulation of email flows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable various attack vectors including message interception, content modification, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. An attacker who gains access to a system with this vulnerability could potentially create filter rules that redirect mail to unauthorized recipients or modify message content before it reaches the user's inbox. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability could be leveraged in multiple ways depending on the specific configuration and the attacker's access level to the system. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-691, which addresses insufficient cleanup of filter rules or processing configurations, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts, as it may allow unauthorized access through compromised account configurations.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given that it operates at the application level within the operating system's core mail processing functionality. Attackers could exploit this weakness by creating malicious filter rules that persist even after account deletion, potentially allowing for continued monitoring or manipulation of email communications. The vulnerability essentially creates a "ghost" configuration that continues to process messages, which could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where email filtering and security policies are critical components of information assurance. Organizations using affected versions of Mac OS X would be exposed to potential data leakage, message interception, and unauthorized access to sensitive communications that could compromise business continuity and regulatory compliance requirements. The remediation approach would require immediate system updates to the 10.6.3 version or later, along with comprehensive review of existing mail filter configurations to identify and remove any lingering rule sets that may have been created through this vulnerability.