CVE-2010-3823 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in WebKit in Apple Safari before 5.0.3 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows, and before 4.1.3 on Mac OS X 10.4, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via vectors involving Geolocation objects. NOTE: this might overlap CVE-2010-3415.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition within WebKit's implementation of Geolocation objects in Apple Safari browsers across multiple operating systems. The flaw occurs when the browser processes Geolocation API requests, specifically in how it manages memory allocation and deallocation for objects related to location services. When a Geolocation object is freed from memory but references to it persist in the application's memory space, subsequent access attempts to these dangling pointers can result in unpredictable behavior. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious web content that triggers specific sequences of Geolocation API calls, causing the browser to free memory associated with Geolocation objects while still maintaining references to them. This creates a scenario where controlled data can be written to freed memory locations, enabling attackers to overwrite critical program structures or execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process. The vulnerability affects Safari versions prior to 5.0.3 on Mac OS X 10.5 through 10.6 and Windows platforms, as well as versions before 4.1.3 on Mac OS X 10.4, representing a significant attack surface across multiple operating environments. The security implications extend beyond simple code execution to include potential privilege escalation and system compromise, as demonstrated by the underlying CWE-416 use-after-free vulnerability classification. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary code through browser-based attack vectors. The operational impact includes both remote code execution capabilities and denial of service conditions, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious web content. The vulnerability's exploitation requires careful crafting of web content that can trigger the specific memory management race condition, but once successful, it provides attackers with persistent access to target systems. Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Apple's security patches, implementation of web content filtering measures, and browser hardening techniques that restrict access to potentially dangerous APIs. Organizations should also consider network-level protections and user education to reduce exposure to such attacks. The overlapping nature with CVE-2010-3415 indicates similar underlying memory management issues within WebKit's architecture, suggesting broader architectural vulnerabilities that require comprehensive remediation approaches rather than isolated patching. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in browser components and highlights how seemingly minor implementation flaws can result in significant security risks. The affected platforms span multiple versions of Apple's operating systems, indicating that this was likely a widespread issue requiring coordinated patch management across various deployment environments.