CVE-2012-0650 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the DirectoryService Proxy in DirectoryService in Apple Mac OS X through 10.6.8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0650 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the DirectoryService Proxy component of Apple Mac OS X versions 10.6.8 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the core directory services infrastructure that manages user authentication and system directory operations, making it a prime target for exploitation. The DirectoryService Proxy acts as an intermediary between client applications and the directory service database, handling authentication requests and directory queries that are fundamental to system operation. The buffer overflow occurs when processing certain input data from network requests or local operations, where insufficient bounds checking allows malicious data to overwrite adjacent memory regions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the DirectoryService Proxy module, which fails to adequately verify the size and content of incoming data streams. When remote attackers craft specially formatted requests or manipulate directory service communications, the proxy process can be tricked into writing data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the DirectoryService process, typically running with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can also cause application crashes and system instability, leading to denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate user access to directory services and authentication mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments that rely heavily on Mac OS X directory services for user management and authentication. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to directory databases, potentially escalating privileges to system administrators or gaining access to sensitive user credentials and system information. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to target systems, allowing for widespread exploitation across networked environments. Organizations using older Mac OS X versions remain particularly vulnerable as the patch for this issue was released as part of Apple's security updates, but many systems may not have been updated due to deployment delays or compatibility concerns.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0650 primarily focus on immediate system updates and network segmentation. Apple's security advisory recommends applying the latest software updates that include patches for this vulnerability, which typically involve enhanced input validation and memory management within the DirectoryService Proxy component. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to directory service ports and consider disabling unnecessary directory service functionality where possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to several ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and defense evasion. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous directory service activity that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other system components.