Apple Filing Protocol

The Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) enables secure shell network communications for Mac OS X, versions 10.2 through 10.3.2, and is included with those operating systems (and possibly other versions of OS X, as well). AFP also purports to allow an end-user to access the file system of a remote server via a Mac-style graphical user interface.

Security vulnerability

In late February, 2004, Apple reported (as cited in the NewsFactor article listed in the "References" section) a security vulnerability in the implementation of AFP in OS X, versions 10.2 through 10.3.2. When using network communication in those versions of OS X, an end-user may specify the preference of a secure shell connection, but AFP will revert to cleartext authentication if the server fails to accept a secure shell connection. The flaw was discovered by Chris Adams, a system administrator in San Diego, California.

References

Apple Filing Protocol Insecure Implementation (http://secunia.com/advisories/11012/)
Glossary of Networking Terms (http://www.accsystems.com/glossary.htm)
NewsFactor Network article, A (http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_title=How_Secure_Is_OS_X_&story_id=23467)

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