CVE-2010-1841 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Disk Images in Apple Mac OS X 10.5.8 and 10.6.x before 10.6.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted UDIF image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1841 represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Apple Mac OS X operating systems, specifically affecting versions 10.5.8 and 10.6.x prior to 10.6.5. This vulnerability resides within the Universal Disk Image Format (UDIF) handling component of the system, which is responsible for processing disk image files that can be mounted and accessed by the operating system. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management when processing crafted UDIF images, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through specially constructed disk image files.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking and memory allocation handling within the UDIF image parsing routines. When a maliciously crafted UDIF image is processed by the system, the vulnerable code fails to properly validate the structure and contents of the image file, leading to buffer overflows or heap corruption conditions. This memory corruption can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application or cause a denial of service through application crashes. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level or system-level components that handle disk image mounting, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially be exploited without user interaction once the malicious image is encountered.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1841 extends beyond simple privilege escalation or denial of service scenarios, as it represents a significant vector for remote code execution attacks against Mac OS X systems. Attackers can craft malicious UDIF images that, when opened or mounted by the system, trigger the memory corruption conditions and allow for arbitrary code execution. This capability makes the vulnerability particularly attractive for attackers seeking to compromise Mac systems, as it can be delivered through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious file sharing. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users do not need to interact directly with the malicious content for the attack to succeed, making it a serious concern for enterprise environments where Mac systems are deployed.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes "Out-of-bounds Read" conditions, and CWE-787, which covers "Out-of-bounds Write" scenarios, both of which are fundamental memory safety issues that manifest in this particular flaw. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves the execution of malicious code through legitimate system processes, and T1203, which encompasses the use of malicious files for code execution. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching to address the memory corruption issues in the UDIF handling components. The recommended mitigation strategy includes applying the official Apple security updates that address the specific memory handling flaws in the disk image processing subsystem. Additionally, system administrators should implement network-based controls to monitor for suspicious UDIF file transfers and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of untrusted disk image files. Organizations should also conduct security awareness training to educate users about the dangers of opening untrusted disk images and implement proper file validation procedures before mounting any external disk image content.