CVE-2013-7127 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Apple Safari 6.0.5 on Mac OS X 10.7.5 and 10.8.5 stores cleartext credentials in LastSession.plist, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading this file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7127 represents a critical security flaw in Apple Safari 6.0.5 running on Mac OS X 10.7.5 and 10.8.5 systems. This issue stems from the browser's improper handling of authentication credentials within its session management framework, specifically through the LastSession.plist file that persists user authentication data in an unencrypted format. The flaw constitutes a direct violation of security best practices for credential storage and demonstrates a significant oversight in the application's security architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within Safari's session persistence mechanism where the browser maintains a plist file containing user authentication information across browser sessions. When users log into websites that require authentication, Safari stores these credentials in the LastSession.plist file in cleartext format rather than implementing proper encryption or obfuscation techniques. This design flaw allows any local user with access to the system to directly read the file and extract username and password information without requiring additional authentication or exploitation techniques. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) which specifically addresses the improper storage of sensitive data in an easily readable format.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for users who store credentials in Safari, particularly in environments where multiple users have access to the same system or where physical access to devices is possible. Attackers can exploit this weakness through local privilege escalation techniques or by simply accessing the file system directly. The vulnerability affects a substantial user base as Safari 6.0.5 was widely deployed across Mac OS X 10.7.5 and 10.8.5 systems, making it a prime target for exploitation. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials in Files) which describes methods for harvesting credentials from local storage mechanisms.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of Safari to version 6.1 or later, which implements proper encryption for stored credentials. Additionally, system administrators should implement mandatory access controls and file system permissions to restrict access to sensitive plist files. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security guidelines such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 for secure credential handling and demonstrates the necessity of implementing defense-in-depth strategies. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to system credential storage locations and establish regular security audits to identify similar storage vulnerabilities across their software ecosystem.