CVE-2010-1778 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Apple Safari before 5.0.1 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows, and before 4.1.1 on Mac OS X 10.4, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an RSS feed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2021
The CVE-2010-1778 vulnerability represents a significant cross-site scripting flaw in Apple Safari web browser versions prior to specific patches across multiple operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Safari versions before 5.0.1 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows platforms, as well as versions before 4.1.1 on Mac OS X 10.4. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through manipulated RSS feed content, creating a dangerous attack vector that leverages the browser's feed parsing functionality. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to inject malicious code into web applications viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits Safari's RSS feed parsing mechanism, where the browser fails to properly sanitize or validate content from RSS feeds before rendering them in the user interface. When a user subscribes to or views an RSS feed containing malicious script code, the browser's rendering engine processes this content without adequate input validation, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code. The attack occurs when Safari displays RSS feed content that includes malicious payloads, which then execute in the context of the user's browsing session, potentially compromising user data and browser security. This vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application does not adequately filter or escape user-supplied content before displaying it to end users.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1778 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft malicious RSS feeds that, when viewed by unsuspecting users, would execute scripts to steal cookies, capture keystrokes, redirect users to malicious sites, or even install malware on the affected systems. The vulnerability affects users across multiple operating systems and Safari versions, making it particularly dangerous as it could impact a large user base simultaneously. Given that RSS feeds are commonly used for news aggregation, blog updates, and other content distribution, the attack surface is extensive and the potential for widespread exploitation is significant.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1778 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Safari versions, with users upgrading to Safari 5.0.1 or later on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6, and Safari 4.1.1 or later on Mac OS X 10.4. Organizations should implement network-level filtering to block malicious RSS feeds and consider disabling RSS feed functionality in corporate environments until proper security measures are in place. Browser security configurations should include enhanced input validation and output encoding for all web content, particularly feed-related functionality. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.006 which covers scripting languages, and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering, highlighting the need for comprehensive security awareness training to prevent users from inadvertently accessing malicious feeds. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in the future.