CVE-2010-1845 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
ImageIO 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 PSD image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1845 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's ImageIO framework affecting Mac OS X versions 10.5.8 and 10.6.x prior to 10.6.5. This issue resides in the handling of Photoshop Document format files with the .psd extension, which are processed by the system's image parsing libraries. The flaw manifests when the ImageIO framework encounters malformed or specially crafted PSD image files that trigger improper memory management during the decoding process. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple cybersecurity domains including software security, memory safety, and application sandboxing principles. The root cause can be categorized under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious PSD file is processed by any application that utilizes Apple's ImageIO framework for image handling. This includes the operating system's built-in image viewers, web browsers, email clients, and various third-party applications that rely on the system's image processing capabilities. When such a file is opened or even previewed, the flawed memory handling causes the application to either corrupt memory structures leading to arbitrary code execution or trigger a segmentation fault resulting in application crashes. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflows and memory corruption attacks that align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation. The attack vector is particularly dangerous as it requires no user interaction beyond opening or viewing the malicious file, making it a prime candidate for drive-by download attacks and social engineering campaigns.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1845 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full system compromise. When successfully exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, which typically runs with elevated permissions in the context of the user. This vulnerability affects a wide range of applications across the Mac OS X ecosystem since ImageIO is a core system component used by numerous software packages. The memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including system instability, data loss, and potential privilege escalation to root level access. Organizations and individual users face significant risk as this vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against high-value targets or in mass distribution campaigns through malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised applications. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple OS versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the image processing library that required multiple patches to address properly.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1845 primarily focus on immediate system updates and application hardening measures. The most effective solution involves installing Apple's security patches released as part of Mac OS X 10.6.5 and subsequent updates, which correct the memory handling issues in the ImageIO framework. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all Mac systems are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include implementing application sandboxing policies, restricting file type associations for potentially vulnerable applications, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file transfers. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation, particularly when handling untrusted binary data formats. Organizations should also consider implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious image files, as well as establishing user awareness programs to prevent accidental opening of malicious files. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular system monitoring and log analysis can aid in early detection of compromise attempts. This vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical role of automated vulnerability management in preventing exploitation of known security flaws.