CVE-2010-1422 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 handle changes to keyboard focus that occur during processing of key press events, which allows remote attackers to force arbitrary key presses via a crafted HTML document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-1422 represents a critical input handling flaw within Apple Safari's WebKit rendering engine that affects multiple operating system versions. This issue stems from improper management of keyboard focus transitions during active key press event processing, creating a scenario where malicious web content can manipulate the browser's keyboard input behavior. The flaw exists in the fundamental way Safari processes user interactions, specifically when focus changes occur concurrently with key event handling, allowing attackers to exploit this timing race condition to execute unintended keyboard actions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages the asynchronous nature of browser event processing to create a window of opportunity for exploitation. When a web page triggers a key press event while simultaneously modifying keyboard focus, the WebKit engine fails to properly synchronize these operations, resulting in a state where arbitrary key sequences can be injected into the browser's input stream. This behavior aligns with CWE-691, which addresses insufficient control flow management in event-driven systems, and demonstrates how improper state handling can lead to privilege escalation through user interaction manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple input spoofing, as it enables attackers to potentially execute malicious commands through keyboard automation. An attacker could craft a malicious HTML document that, when loaded in Safari, forces the browser to simulate key presses that could trigger application-specific actions, navigate to malicious websites, or even execute system-level commands through application shortcuts. This vulnerability particularly affects users running older versions of Mac OS X and Windows platforms, making it a significant concern for organizations with legacy systems or delayed update cycles. The attack vector requires user interaction through visiting a malicious webpage, but once triggered, the exploitation can occur without additional user consent, creating a persistent threat.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1422 focus primarily on immediate software updates and browser security hardening measures. Apple addressed this vulnerability through Safari version 5.0 releases for Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and version 4.1 for Mac OS X 10.4, implementing proper synchronization of keyboard focus changes with key press event processing. Organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment across all affected systems and consider implementing browser security policies that restrict automatic execution of potentially malicious content. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping their browsers updated. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1071.001 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols) as attackers can leverage web-based input manipulation to execute system commands through browser automation, making this a significant concern for enterprise security teams implementing zero-trust network architectures.