CVE-2010-1764 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, follows multiple redirections during form submission, which allows remote web servers to obtain sensitive information by recording the form data.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2025
This vulnerability resides in the WebKit rendering engine used by Apple Safari browsers across multiple operating system versions. The flaw manifests during form submission processes where the browser follows multiple redirections without proper validation of the redirect chain. This behavior creates a potential information disclosure risk that can be exploited by malicious web servers. The vulnerability affects Mac OS X versions 10.4 through 10.6 and Windows platforms, with specific version boundaries indicating the scope of affected releases.
The technical mechanism involves the browser's handling of HTTP redirects during form submission workflows. When a form is submitted and encounters multiple redirects, the WebKit engine processes these redirects sequentially without adequately sanitizing or validating the intermediate redirect targets. This processing allows a remote server to potentially capture form data that would normally be transmitted to the intended destination, effectively enabling a form data interception attack. The vulnerability operates at the HTTP protocol level within the browser's network handling components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially compromise user authentication credentials, personal data, and sensitive business information. Attackers can leverage this flaw to capture login forms, payment information, and other confidential data submitted through web forms. The attack vector requires the victim to visit a malicious website that hosts the exploit, making it a client-side attack that can be delivered through various means including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or malicious advertisements. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-201, which describes information exposure through multiple redirects, and represents a classic example of a man-in-the-middle attack vector.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate browser updates to patched versions that address the redirect handling behavior. Users should ensure their Safari installations are updated to versions 5.0 for Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and 4.1 for Mac OS X 10.4. Network administrators should implement web content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and prevent excessive redirect chains. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper HTTP redirect handling in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through malicious web content. Organizations should also implement security awareness training to educate users about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping software updated to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.