CVE-2010-1846 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Image RAW 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 (application crash) via a crafted RAW image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1846 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within Apple Mac OS X's Image RAW component, affecting versions 10.5.8 and 10.6.x prior to 10.6.5. This issue resides in the handling of RAW image files, which are uncompressed digital photographs typically produced by digital cameras and contain unprocessed image data directly from the camera sensor. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes malformed or crafted RAW image files, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations in the heap allocation space.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs through improper bounds checking within the RAW image parsing routines, where the application fails to validate the size or structure of incoming image data before attempting to copy it into fixed-size memory buffers. This flaw enables attackers to manipulate heap memory layout and potentially overwrite critical data structures or function pointers, leading to arbitrary code execution when the corrupted memory is subsequently accessed. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a serious weakness in memory management and input validation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Mac OS X users who may encounter malicious RAW image files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. The remote execution capability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems without requiring local access, making this particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open compromised image files. The vulnerability can result in either arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions, both of which can severely impact system availability and security posture. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1499 (Endpoint Denial of Service) techniques.
The impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise networks where image processing applications may be automatically triggered by system services or automated workflows. Organizations utilizing Mac OS X systems for digital asset management, photography workflows, or any environment where RAW image files are processed face heightened risk. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in image processing libraries, particularly those handling proprietary or complex file formats that require extensive parsing logic. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment for this vulnerability, as it represents a critical security gap that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to systems or disrupt operations through denial of service attacks. The remediation involves updating to Apple Mac OS X 10.6.5 or later versions where proper bounds checking and memory management have been implemented to prevent the overflow condition from occurring during RAW image processing operations.