SafariWeb browser · Apple
CVE-2012-3635
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedWebKit, as used in Apple Safari before 6.0, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site, a different vulnerability than other WebKit CVEs listed in APPLE-SA-2012-07-25-1.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA memory corruption vulnerability in WebKit allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service via a crafted website. The vulnerability affects Safari versions prior to 6.0 and stems from improper memory handling during webpage rendering.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
SafariWeb browser
<= 5.1.7= 1.0= 1.0.0= 1.0.0b1= 1.0.0b2= 1.0.1= 1.0.2= 1.0.3= 1.0b1= 1.1= 1.1.0= 1.1.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check installed Safari versionOpen Safari, click Safari menu > About Safari. Alternatively, run in Terminal: defaults read /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info CFBundleShortVersionStringAffected if Version displayed is 5.1.7 or lower, or any of the following: 1.0, 1.0.0, 1.0.0b1, 1.0.0b2, 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.3, 1.0b1, 1.1, 1.1.0, or 1.1.1
-
Confirm WebKit rendering engine is in useSafari uses WebKit by default. Verify by visiting any webpage and inspecting the user agent string for 'WebKit'Affected if Browser is Safari with WebKit engine and version is below 6.0
-
Verify system is running an affected macOS versionCheck macOS version via Apple menu > About This Mac. Older macOS releases bundled older Safari versions that cannot be updated to 6.0Affected if System cannot run Safari 6.0 or later due to older macOS version
A system is affected if Safari version is below 6.0 and the user can browse the web with the vulnerable WebKit engine.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpdate Safari to version 6.0 or later to obtain the vendor patch, or migrate to a browser not affected by this specific WebKit flaw.
Safari 6.0 or later (included with macOS Mountain Lion 10.8)
- Open the App Store application on your Mac
- Click on the Updates tab
- Locate Safari in the list of available updates
- Click Update next to Safari to install version 6.0 or later
- Alternatively, update your Mac to macOS Mountain Lion (10.8) or later which includes Safari 6.0 or newer
- After updating, verify the Safari version by going to Safari > About Safari
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Safari
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,200.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-3635 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-3635 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data