CVE-2008-2540

CriticalCVSS 9.3/10Last modified Jun 16, 2026

Description

Apple Safari on Mac OS X, and before 3.1.2 on Windows, does not prompt the user before downloading an object that has an unrecognized content type, which allows remote attackers to place malware into the (1) Desktop directory on Windows or (2) Downloads directory on Mac OS X, and subsequently allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on Windows by leveraging an untrusted search path vulnerability in (a) Internet Explorer 7 on Windows XP or (b) the SearchPath function in Windows XP, Vista, and Server 2003 and 2008, aka a "Carpet Bomb" and a "Blended Threat Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different issue than CVE-2008-1032. NOTE: Apple considers this a vulnerability only because the Microsoft products can load application libraries from the desktop and, as of 20080619, has not covered the issue in an advisory for Mac OS X.

Metrics

CVSS 2.0 9.3/10AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Weakness enumeration

Affected software

No affected versions have been published.

Timeline

Published
Jun 3, 2008
Last modified
Jun 16, 2026
NVD status
Modified

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CVE-2008-2540: Critical severity, CVSS 9.3 | Vulnix