CVE-2010-0534 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Wiki Server in Apple Mac OS X 10.6 before 10.6.3 does not enforce the service access control list (SACL) for weblogs during weblog creation, which allows remote authenticated users to publish content via HTTP requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0534 resides within the Wiki Server component of Apple Mac OS X 10.6 versions prior to 10.6.3, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of web publishing services. This issue specifically affects the implementation of service access control lists during weblog creation processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly validate access permissions for weblog creation operations, allowing unauthorized content publication through legitimate HTTP request channels.
The technical flaw stems from the improper enforcement of service access control lists within the Mac OS X Wiki Server implementation, where the system does not adequately verify user permissions during weblog creation. This weakness creates a privilege escalation scenario where authenticated users can bypass intended access restrictions and publish content without proper authorization. The vulnerability operates at the application level within the web server framework, specifically targeting the weblog creation functionality that should enforce strict access controls. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in access control mechanisms, specifically CWE-284 which addresses inadequate access control enforcement. The flaw essentially allows for a form of privilege escalation through the manipulation of service access control list parameters during content publishing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content publication, as it enables remote authenticated users to inject malicious content into weblogs without proper authorization. This creates significant risks for organizations relying on Mac OS X systems for collaborative publishing environments where multiple users have varying levels of access rights. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to publish unauthorized content, potentially including malicious scripts or phishing materials, without being properly authenticated or authorized by the system's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where wiki servers are used for internal documentation, collaboration platforms, or public-facing web content management systems, as it undermines the trust model that should govern content publishing permissions.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials for persistence and privilege escalation. The threat actor can leverage existing authenticated sessions to perform unauthorized publishing operations, making the attack more difficult to detect and trace. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only HTTP request capabilities and existing authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed through standard web browsing tools without requiring specialized exploitation frameworks. Organizations may experience unauthorized content injection, potential information disclosure through malicious content, and degradation of service integrity. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the wiki server endpoint, exploiting the lack of proper SACL enforcement during weblog creation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-0534 should prioritize immediate system updates to Mac OS X 10.6.3 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper SACL enforcement for weblog creation operations. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring of weblog creation activities and establish anomaly detection for unusual publishing patterns. The system configuration should be reviewed to ensure that proper access control lists are enforced for all web publishing services, with regular audits to verify that access controls function as intended. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to wiki server functionality and deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP requests to web publishing endpoints. Additionally, security awareness training for users can help identify suspicious publishing activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include verification that service access control lists are properly configured and enforced for all web content creation operations, ensuring that unauthorized content publication attempts are properly blocked by the system's access control mechanisms.