CVE-1999-1077

Vulnerability

The idle locking function in MacOS 9 can be bypassed by using the programmer's switch (on Macs that have one) or the CMD-PWR keyboard sequence, which brings up a debugger (e.g., MacsBug). From the debugger, an attacker can kill the idle lock process and return to the Finder [1]. Affected versions include MacOS 9.

Exploitation

An attacker with physical access to the locked system can press the programmer's switch or CMD-PWR to drop into the debugger. No authentication is required. Once in the debugger, standard commands can be used to terminate the lock process and regain control of the session [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an unauthenticated local attacker to bypass the password-protected idle lock, gaining full access to the user's session, including open applications and files. This compromises the confidentiality and integrity of the user's data [1].

Mitigation

The provided references do not identify an official fix from Apple. As a workaround, users can disable the idle locking feature or restrict physical access to the system. No patched version has been disclosed in the available sources [1].