CVE-2013-5166 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The Bluetooth USB host controller in Apple Mac OS X before 10.9 prematurely deletes interfaces, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a crafted application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5166 represents a critical flaw in the Bluetooth USB host controller implementation within Apple Mac OS X operating systems prior to version 10.9. This issue stems from improper handling of interface management within the kernel-level Bluetooth subsystem, where the system prematurely deletes interface resources without adequate validation of ongoing operations. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious local application attempts to manipulate the Bluetooth interface lifecycle, triggering an unexpected deletion of active interfaces that results in system instability. This flaw exists within the kernel extension responsible for managing Bluetooth USB communications, specifically affecting how the system handles interface cleanup operations during device enumeration and connection processes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-362, which covers concurrent execution use of a resource. The flaw occurs when the Bluetooth USB host controller driver fails to properly synchronize interface deletion operations with active device communications, creating a race condition where interface resources are freed while still in use. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious applications that specifically target the Bluetooth interface management code, causing the kernel to attempt operations on already-deallocated memory structures. The vulnerability specifically affects the USB host controller driver's handling of interface references, where interface deletion occurs before all pending operations complete, leading to memory corruption and system crashes.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5166 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially compromise system stability and availability. Local users with minimal privileges can trigger system crashes that result in complete system restarts, effectively creating a persistent denial of service condition that can disrupt user productivity and potentially impact critical system operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, making it difficult to detect and mitigate through standard user-space security measures. System administrators may observe frequent unexpected reboots or kernel panic messages related to Bluetooth subsystem failures, which can be challenging to diagnose without detailed kernel debugging capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to Apple Mac OS X 10.9 or later versions where the Bluetooth USB host controller implementation has been corrected. The fix involves proper synchronization mechanisms that prevent interface deletion while active operations are pending, along with enhanced resource management protocols that maintain proper reference counting for Bluetooth interfaces. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all Mac systems receive the necessary security updates. Additionally, monitoring for unusual Bluetooth interface activity and system crash patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and system stability compromise, with the attack surface limited to local users who can execute code on the target system. Network administrators should consider implementing additional logging and monitoring of kernel-level Bluetooth operations to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.