CVE-2010-1416 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
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, does not properly restrict the reading of a canvas that contains an SVG image pattern from a different web site, which allows remote attackers to read images from other sites via a crafted canvas, related to a "cross-site image capture issue."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2021
This vulnerability resides in the WebKit rendering engine used by Apple Safari browsers across multiple operating systems including Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows platforms, as well as Mac OS X 10.4 versions prior to 4.1. The flaw represents a critical security issue that undermines the fundamental security model of web browsers by allowing unauthorized cross-site data access. The vulnerability specifically affects the canvas element's handling of SVG image patterns, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass normal security restrictions that should prevent cross-origin data theft.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper enforcement of the same-origin policy within Safari's WebKit implementation. When a web page attempts to read pixel data from a canvas element that contains an SVG image pattern sourced from a different domain, the browser fails to properly validate or restrict this access. This allows remote attackers to craft malicious web pages that can extract image data from other websites, effectively creating a cross-site image capture mechanism. The vulnerability operates through the HTML5 canvas API's getImageData() method, which should normally be restricted when accessing data from cross-origin sources but fails to enforce these restrictions properly in the affected Safari versions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform cross-site scripting attacks that can harvest sensitive visual information from other websites. An attacker could potentially extract user avatars, profile images, or other visual content from social media platforms, financial sites, or any website that serves images from different domains. This capability extends beyond simple image theft to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking through visual credential extraction or the creation of detailed user profiling based on image data analysis. The vulnerability affects users across multiple operating systems and browser versions, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate browser updates to patched versions of Safari that properly enforce cross-origin restrictions on canvas operations. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected platforms, particularly in enterprise environments where users may be exposed to malicious websites. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies that restrict canvas operations and monitoring for suspicious cross-origin requests. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper information exposure, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1056.001 for input validation and T1566 for credential access through web-based attacks. Organizations should also consider network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious canvas-based data extraction attempts, and implement user education programs to avoid visiting untrusted websites that may contain malicious canvas code.