Apple Mac OS X up to 10.5.0 Help Viewer input validation

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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6.6$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Apple Mac OS X up to 10.5.0. The affected element is an unknown function of the component Help Viewer. This manipulation causes input validation. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2009-0943. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Apple Mac OS X up to 10.5.0 (Operating System). It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component Help Viewer. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a input validation vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-20. The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Help Viewer in Apple Mac OS X 10.4.11 and 10.5 before 10.5.7 does not verify that HTML pathnames are located in a registered help book, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a help: URL that triggers invocation of AppleScript files.

The bug was discovered 05/12/2009. The weakness was published 05/13/2009 by Sebastian Apelt (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at us-cert.gov. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2009-0943 since 03/18/2009. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available.

It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 38744 (Mac OS X 10.5.x < 10.5.7 Multiple Vulnerabilities), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family MacOS X Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 116423 (Apple Mac OS X 10.5.7 and Security Update 2009-002 Not Installed (APPLE-SA-2009-05-12)).

Upgrading to version 10.5.1 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published even before and not after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (50486), Tenable (38744), SecurityFocus (BID 34926†), OSVDB (54445†) and Secunia (SA35074†). Similar entries are available at VDB-3978, VDB-23858, VDB-30376 and VDB-40710. Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.6

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.6
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Input validation
CWE: CWE-20
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Proof-of-Concept

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 38744
Nessus Name: Mac OS X 10.5.x < 10.5.7 Multiple Vulnerabilities
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 102035
OpenVAS Name: get_kb_item(ssh/login/osx_name
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
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Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Mac OS X 10.5.1

Timelineinfo

03/18/2009 🔍
05/12/2009 +55 days 🔍
05/12/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/12/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/12/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/13/2009 +1 days 🔍
05/13/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/13/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/13/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/13/2009 +0 days 🔍
05/18/2009 +5 days 🔍
03/17/2015 +2129 days 🔍
05/27/2025 +3723 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: us-cert.gov
Researcher: Sebastian Apelt
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2009-0943 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2009-0943
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-48175
X-Force: 50486
SecurityFocus: 34926 - RETIRED: Apple Mac OS X 2009-002 Multiple Security Vulnerabilities
Secunia: 35074
OSVDB: 54445 - Apple - Mac OS X - Help Viewer HTML Document Remote Code Execution Issue
SecurityTracker: 1022216
Vulnerability Center: 22079 - Apple Mac OS X 10.4.11 and 10.5-10.5.6 Help Viewer HTML Pathnames Remote Code Execution, Critical
Vupen: ADV-2009-1297

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20150108
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 03/17/2015 23:38
Updated: 05/27/2025 00:03
Changes: 03/17/2015 23:38 (81), 09/04/2019 11:06 (4), 05/27/2025 00:03 (18)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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