CVE-2010-1789 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in WebKit 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 execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a JavaScript string object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1789 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within the WebKit rendering engine that powers Apple Safari browsers across multiple operating systems. This flaw exists in Safari versions prior to 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, creating a widespread attack surface that affected millions of users. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of JavaScript string objects within the browser's memory management system, where improper bounds checking allows malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory locations in the heap allocation space.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious web page crafts a specially crafted JavaScript string object that triggers the buffer overflow condition during memory allocation. When the browser processes this malformed string, the WebKit engine fails to properly validate the string length against allocated buffer boundaries, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running browser process. This heap overflow condition typically manifests as an application crash during normal operation, but can be reliably exploited to gain remote code execution capabilities through careful manipulation of the overflowed memory regions.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1789 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to represent a serious security risk that could enable attackers to compromise user systems entirely. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for JavaScript-based command execution, and the CWE-121 category for heap-based buffer overflow conditions. Organizations using affected Safari versions faced significant risk exposure, particularly in enterprise environments where users might encounter malicious web content through phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or social engineering attacks. The vulnerability's presence across multiple operating systems including both Mac OS X and Windows platforms increased the attack surface considerably, making it a prime target for widespread exploitation campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patch deployment through Apple's security updates, as the only reliable defense against exploitation was upgrading to Safari versions 5.0.1 or later on Mac OS X systems and 4.1.1 or later on Mac OS X 10.4. System administrators needed to implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected browsers were updated promptly, as the vulnerability remained exploitable for extended periods. Additional defensive measures included browser hardening techniques such as disabling JavaScript in untrusted environments, implementing web application firewalls, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of memory safety practices in browser engine development and contributed to industry-wide improvements in buffer overflow protection mechanisms that align with secure coding guidelines from the CERT/CC and OWASP organizations.