CWE-71: DEPRECATED: Apple '.DS_Store'
Learn about CWE-71 (DEPRECATED: Apple '.DS_Store'), its security impact, exploitation methods, and prevention guidelines.
What is DEPRECATED: Apple '.DS_Store'?
• Overview: CWE-71, now deprecated, was initially focused on the Apple '.DS_Store' file issue, which stemmed from a specific UNIX Hard Link weakness rather than a standalone vulnerability.
• Exploitation Methods:
- Attackers could exploit the presence of '.DS_Store' files to gain unintended insights into directory structures.
- These files could inadvertently expose sensitive information about file paths and hierarchy, which could be leveraged for further attacks.
• Security Impact:
- Direct consequences include unauthorized access to directory contents and metadata.
- Potential cascading effects involve increased attack surface for directory traversal or information disclosure attacks.
- Business impact may include data breaches and loss of confidentiality, affecting organizational reputation and trust.
• Prevention Guidelines:
- Specific code-level fixes include ensuring '.DS_Store' files are not included in production environments and using version control systems to ignore these files.
- Security best practices involve regularly scanning and cleaning up unnecessary metadata files from deployments.
- Recommended tools and frameworks include using configuration management tools to enforce rules that prevent the inclusion of such files in deployment packages.
Technical Details
Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified
Affected Languages: Not specified
Affected Technologies: Not specified