TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative
 

Webkit HTMLMedia Element beforeLoad Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-12-191: December 21st, 2012

CVE ID

CVSS Score

Affected Vendors

Affected Products

    WebKit

TippingPoint™ IPS Customer Protection

TippingPoint IPS customers are protected against this vulnerability by Digital Vaccine protection filter ID 12492. For further product information on the TippingPoint IPS:

Vulnerability Details


This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Apple Safari Webkit. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the library's implementation of a HTMLMedia element. After a source element is created, an attacker can catch the beforeLoad event before the element is used, and delete the element. The pointer to the source element will then be referenced causing a use-after-free condition, which can lead to code execution under the context of the application.

Vendor Response

WebKit.Org has issued an update to correct this vulnerability. More details can be found at:

Disclosure Timeline

    2012-03-14 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
    2012-12-21 - Coordinated public release of advisory

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by:
    pa_kt / twitter.com/pa_kt