CVE-2011-0195 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
The generate-id XPath function in libxslt in Apple iOS 4.3.x before 4.3.2 allows remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive information about heap memory addresses via a crafted web site. NOTE: this may overlap CVE-2011-1202.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-0195 represents a critical information disclosure issue within the libxslt library implementation in Apple iOS 4.3.x versions prior to 4.3.2. This flaw specifically affects the generate-id XPath function, which is part of the XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) processing capabilities that iOS uses to handle XML data transformations. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the XPath function implementation, creating a scenario where attackers can extract heap memory addresses through carefully crafted web content. This type of information disclosure vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and represents a significant concern for mobile security environments where sensitive data handling is paramount.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious website presents content that triggers the generate-id XPath function with crafted input parameters. The flaw manifests in how the function handles memory allocation and address generation during XPath processing, allowing remote attackers to observe memory layout information through the function's output. This memory disclosure can reveal heap addresses that may be leveraged in subsequent attacks, particularly those involving heap-based buffer overflow exploitation or other memory corruption techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of improper memory handling that can lead to information leakage, with potential implications for privilege escalation and system compromise. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1059.006 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: XPath" and potentially T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" if combined with other attack vectors.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0195 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as heap address information can serve as a crucial piece of intelligence for advanced persistent threats targeting mobile devices. Attackers can use this information to bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization (ASLR) that rely on unpredictable memory layouts for protection. The vulnerability affects a core component of iOS web rendering capabilities, meaning any web content loaded through Safari or other applications utilizing libxslt could potentially be exploited. This creates a broad attack surface that impacts not only web browsing but also any application that processes XML content through the affected library. The overlap with CVE-2011-1202 indicates that this represents a broader class of issues within the libxslt library implementation that required comprehensive patching across multiple affected versions. Organizations and users should prioritize updating to iOS 4.3.2 or later versions to mitigate this vulnerability, as the information disclosure could enable more sophisticated attacks against mobile device security.