Apple Web Kit-based browsers may allow remote access to local filesystem contents

Overview

Web browsers based on AppleWebKit may allow remote web sites to reference content on the local filesystem. This may allow an attacker to execute script within the security context of the local machine.

Description

Web browsers that allow remote web sites to reference content that resides on the local filesystem may be vulnerable to cross-domain security violations. In a typical attack scenario, an attacker must first place content in a known or predictable location on a computer. If a web browser allows a remote web site to reference that content, this may allow attacker-supplied script to run within the security context of the local machine.

Web browsers based on AppleWebKit, such as Safari, fail to restrict web sites from accessing content on the local filesystem. OmniWeb, which is based on Apple WebCore, also contains the same vulnerability. Current proof-of-concept exploit code uses the XMLHttpRequest object to read files from the local filesystem.

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Impact

A remote, unauthenticated attacker may be able to execute script within the security context of the local machine. Script that executes within this context may be able to perform privileged actions, such as reading files from the local filesystem. These actions would not be possible by using script that executes within the security context of the remote web site.

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Solution

Upgrade or patch
Please see the Systems Affected section of this document for update availability.

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Workarounds

Users who are unable to upgrade to a fixed version of the software are encouraged to disable JavaScript in their browsers.

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Vendor Information

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Apple Computer Inc. __ Affected

Notified: February 22, 2005 Updated: April 21, 2005

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

This vulnerability is fixed in Mac OS X 10.3.9.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23998369 Feedback>).

OmniGroup __ Affected

Notified: March 03, 2005 Updated: July 06, 2005

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

This issue is addressed in OmniWeb 5.1.1 beta 2.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23998369 Feedback>).

KDE Desktop Environment Project __ Not Affected

Notified: February 22, 2005 Updated: May 11, 2005

Status

Not Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

Konqueror does not appear to be vulnerable.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23998369 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://remahl.se/david/vuln/001/&gt;
• <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301327&gt;
• <http://www.osvdb.org/15637&gt;
• <http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/20124&gt;
• <http://secunia.com/advisories/14974&gt;
• <http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/13202&gt;
• <http://packetstormsecurity.org/0504-advisories/apple_webkit_filedisclosure.txt&gt;
• <http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniweb/releasenotes/&gt;

Acknowledgements

Thanks to David Remahl for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Will Dormann.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2005-0976
Severity Metric:	4.78 Date Public: