CVE-2011-0132 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the Runin box functionality in the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) 2.1 Visual Formatting Model implementation in WebKit, as used in Apple iTunes before 10.2 on Windows and Apple Safari, allows man-in-the-middle attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via vectors related to iTunes Store browsing, a different vulnerability than other CVEs listed in APPLE-SA-2011-03-02-1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0132 represents a critical use-after-free condition within WebKit's CSS 2.1 Visual Formatting Model implementation that specifically affects Apple iTunes versions prior to 10.2 on Windows and Apple Safari browsers. This flaw exists in the Runin box functionality, which is a CSS layout feature that handles the positioning of elements within the visual formatting context. The vulnerability manifests when WebKit processes CSS styling that involves the Runin box mechanism, creating a scenario where memory allocated to certain objects becomes accessible after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs during iTunes Store browsing activities where the affected WebKit implementation processes CSS styling rules that trigger the Runin box functionality. When a maliciously crafted web page or media content is loaded through iTunes or Safari, the CSS parser encounters a specific combination of styling directives that causes the memory management system to free a memory block while still maintaining references to it. This use-after-free condition creates a memory corruption scenario where an attacker can manipulate the freed memory location to inject and execute arbitrary code or cause a controlled application crash. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the context of a media player application, which typically runs with elevated privileges and has access to system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability to potentially enable remote code execution in the context of the affected applications. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can perform man-in-the-middle attacks by crafting malicious content that when processed through iTunes or Safari triggers the memory corruption. The memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, redirect program execution flow, or inject malicious payloads that persist across application sessions. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise user systems through media browsing activities, as iTunes and Safari are commonly used applications with broad user bases. The vulnerability affects not just the iTunes Store browsing experience but any application context where CSS styling is processed, making it a systemic risk within the WebKit rendering engine.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0132 require immediate patching of affected systems to update WebKit components to versions that address the memory management flaw in the Runin box implementation. System administrators should prioritize updating Apple iTunes to version 10.2 or later on Windows systems and ensure Safari browsers are updated to versions that contain the patched WebKit rendering engine. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual traffic patterns during iTunes Store browsing activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which describes the use-after-free condition, and represents a specific implementation weakness in the CSS processing pipeline that violates secure coding practices for memory management. Additionally, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code through the corrupted memory space, potentially leading to further system compromise through privilege escalation or lateral movement activities.