CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2011-0173

Use of Externally-Controlled Format String

Published: Mar 23, 2011 | Modified: Mar 24, 2011
CVSS 3.x
N/A
Source:
NVD
CVSS 2.x
6.8 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu

Multiple format string vulnerabilities in AppleScript in Apple Mac OS X before 10.6.7 allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via format string specifiers in a (1) display dialog or (2) display alert command in a dialog in an AppleScript Studio application.

Weakness

The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Applescript Apple * *
Mac_os_x Apple * 10.6.6 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.0 (including) 10.6.0 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.1 (including) 10.6.1 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.2 (including) 10.6.2 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.3 (including) 10.6.3 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.4 (including) 10.6.4 (including)
Mac_os_x Apple 10.6.5 (including) 10.6.5 (including)

Extended Description

When an attacker can modify an externally-controlled format string, this can lead to buffer overflows, denial of service, or data representation problems. It should be noted that in some circumstances, such as internationalization, the set of format strings is externally controlled by design. If the source of these format strings is trusted (e.g. only contained in library files that are only modifiable by the system administrator), then the external control might not itself pose a vulnerability.

Potential Mitigations

References