CVE-2011-1053 in IDA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Mach-O input file loader in Hex-Rays IDA Pro 5.7 and 6.0 allows user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-memory exception and inability to analyze code) via a crafted Mach-O file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2015
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1053 represents a critical weakness in the Mach-O file format processing capabilities of Hex-Rays IDA Pro versions 5.7 and 6.0. This issue resides within the input file loader component responsible for parsing Mach-O binary files commonly used on macOS and iOS systems. The vulnerability manifests as an unspecified flaw that can be exploited by remote attackers with user assistance to trigger system instability. The affected software serves as a crucial reverse engineering and binary analysis tool widely utilized by security professionals, developers, and forensic analysts in identifying and understanding binary code structures. The specific nature of the vulnerability lies in how the Mach-O loader handles malformed or specially crafted input files, leading to resource exhaustion conditions that prevent normal analysis operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of Mach-O file structures to trigger memory allocation behaviors that result in out-of-memory exceptions. When IDA Pro attempts to process a crafted Mach-O file, the loader fails to properly validate input parameters or implement adequate memory bounds checking during the parsing process. This flaw creates a condition where the application consumes excessive memory resources or enters an invalid state that prevents further analysis operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the input validation mechanisms within the Mach-O parser, which is a core component of the disassembly engine. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in resource management where insufficient bounds checking leads to memory exhaustion, falling under CWE-129 and CWE-772 categories related to improper input validation and resource exhaustion attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise the entire analysis workflow for security researchers and reverse engineers. When exploited, the vulnerability renders IDA Pro incapable of analyzing legitimate binary files, effectively disabling the tool for its intended purpose. This creates significant operational challenges for security professionals who rely on IDA Pro for malware analysis, vulnerability research, and software security assessments. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can potentially compromise systems without physical access, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where analysts process untrusted binary samples. The user-assisted aspect indicates that the attack requires some form of social engineering or user interaction, but the actual exploitation remains feasible without requiring advanced technical skills from the attacker.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Hex-Rays to address the specific memory handling issues in the Mach-O loader. System administrators and security teams should implement strict binary analysis protocols that include preliminary file validation and sandboxed processing environments before analysis. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and resource management in security-critical applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for execution through command-line interfaces and T1070.004 for indicator removal. Organizations should consider implementing additional defensive measures such as network segmentation to limit exposure, regular security assessments of analysis tools, and maintaining updated threat intelligence to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of proper software testing procedures that include fuzzing and boundary condition testing for file format parsers.