CVE-2010-1389 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WebKit in Apple Safari before 5.0 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows, and before 4.1 on Mac OS X 10.4, allows user-assisted remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving a (1) paste or (2) drag-and-drop operation for a selection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2021
The CVE-2010-1389 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WebKit rendering engine that powers Apple Safari browser across multiple operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Safari versions prior to 5.0 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows platforms, as well as versions before 4.1 on Mac OS X 10.4. The flaw resides in how the browser handles paste and drag-and-drop operations involving text selections, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browsing session. The vulnerability's classification as user-assisted remote attack means that while the attacker cannot directly execute malicious code without user interaction, they can trick users into performing actions that trigger the exploit.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within Safari's WebKit engine when processing paste and drag-and-drop operations. When users perform these actions with malicious content, the browser fails to properly escape or filter potentially dangerous HTML tags, JavaScript code, or other malicious payloads that could be embedded within the selected text. This processing gap creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious content can be stored and executed when users interact with the affected browser interface. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of selections during paste operations or when elements are dragged and dropped into web pages, making it particularly insidious as it can be triggered through seemingly benign user interactions. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how browser rendering engines can become attack vectors when input sanitization is inadequate.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1389 extends beyond simple script injection, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious websites, and data exfiltration. Attackers could craft malicious content that, when pasted or dropped by unsuspecting users, would execute scripts that steal cookies, capture keystrokes, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability's prevalence across multiple operating systems and Safari versions made it particularly dangerous, as it affected a significant portion of internet users who relied on Apple's browser for their daily web activities. Organizations using affected Safari versions faced potential security breaches where attackers could exploit this vulnerability to compromise user sessions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The attack vector's reliance on user interaction makes it particularly challenging to defend against, as it requires users to be tricked into performing actions that trigger the exploit, but once triggered, the consequences can be severe.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1389 primarily focus on immediate software updates and browser security enhancements. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Safari versions 5.0 or later on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6, and 4.1 or later on Mac OS X 10.4, which contain patches addressing the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Browser security configurations can be enhanced by implementing stricter content security policies and disabling unnecessary paste and drag-and-drop functionality where possible. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the dangers of pasting content from untrusted sources and the importance of verifying the legitimacy of content before interacting with it. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious paste and drag-and-drop activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving social engineering and credential access, making it a significant concern for organizations implementing security awareness training programs. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and demonstrates how seemingly minor functionality like paste operations can become critical security attack vectors when proper input validation is missing.