CVE-2011-0184 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
QuickLook in Apple Mac OS X 10.6 before 10.6.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via an Excel spreadsheet with a crafted formula that uses unspecified opcodes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0184 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within QuickLook, Apple's built-in preview service for Mac OS X 10.6 systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 10.6.7 and exposes users to potential remote code execution or denial of service conditions when processing maliciously crafted Excel spreadsheet files. The flaw manifests through the handling of Excel formulas that contain unspecified opcodes, which are processed by QuickLook's underlying parsing mechanisms. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of application security and memory management, where improper input validation leads to exploitable memory corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves QuickLook's processing of Excel spreadsheet files through its integrated Office document preview functionality. When a user opens or previews a crafted Excel file containing malicious formulas with specific opcodes, the QuickLook service fails to properly validate or sanitize the input data. This leads to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of a buffer overflow or heap corruption issue, where the crafted Excel formula data exceeds the bounds of allocated memory regions, causing unpredictable behavior and potential code execution. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0184 extends beyond simple denial of service to include full system compromise potential. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code on targeted systems without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability affects the core QuickLook service which is integrated into the Mac OS X operating system, meaning that any application or user interface element that relies on QuickLook for document previews could potentially be exploited. This creates a wide attack surface that includes email clients, file managers, and other applications that utilize the system's preview capabilities. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under T1059 for command and script interpreter and potentially T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, demonstrating how a seemingly benign preview functionality can become a vector for system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0184 primarily focus on immediate system updates and operational security measures. Apple addressed this vulnerability through the release of Mac OS X 10.6.7, which included patches to QuickLook's Excel parsing functionality and improved input validation mechanisms. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of this security update across all affected systems. Additional protective measures include implementing sandboxing restrictions for QuickLook processes, disabling unnecessary document preview capabilities for untrusted files, and employing network-level filtering to prevent access to potentially malicious Office documents. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual QuickLook service activity or memory allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date system patches and demonstrates how preview services, while convenient, can introduce significant security risks when not properly secured against malformed input data.