CVE-2011-2869 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in Apple iOS before 5.1 and iTunes before 10.6, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site, a different vulnerability than other WebKit CVEs listed in APPLE-SA-2012-03-07-1 and APPLE-SA-2012-03-07-2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2869 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within WebKit engine components that power Apple's mobile operating system iOS and desktop iTunes applications. This vulnerability specifically affects versions of iOS prior to 5.1 and iTunes prior to 10.6, creating a significant attack surface for remote threat actors who can leverage malicious web content to compromise affected systems. The flaw manifests through crafted websites that, when loaded in a vulnerable browser environment, can trigger unpredictable behavior leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. This vulnerability type falls under the category of memory corruption issues that are particularly dangerous due to their potential for privilege escalation and system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations within WebKit's rendering engine, which processes web content including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia elements. When a user visits a maliciously crafted website, the WebKit engine encounters malformed or specially constructed content that triggers buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors. These memory corruption issues occur during the parsing and rendering of web elements, particularly when processing complex multimedia content or manipulating DOM objects. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, which are fundamental memory safety issues that can lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2869 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities for attackers. Remote code execution potential means that threat actors can install malware, steal sensitive data, or gain persistent access to affected devices without user knowledge or consent. The vulnerability affects both iOS mobile devices and desktop iTunes installations, creating a broad attack surface across Apple's ecosystem. Applications running on affected systems become susceptible to arbitrary code execution, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls and escalate privileges. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability makes detection particularly challenging since the exploitation may appear as random crashes or system instability before full compromise occurs. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, and T1547.001 for Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, as attackers could leverage the compromised systems for further persistence and lateral movement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2869 require immediate patching of affected systems to prevent exploitation. Apple released security updates in iOS 5.1 and iTunes 10.6 that addressed the underlying memory corruption issues within WebKit. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected devices receive updates promptly. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous web traffic patterns or attempts to access known malicious domains. Browser sandboxing techniques and strict content filtering can provide additional protection layers, though these measures are less effective than proper patching. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise including unusual system crashes, unexpected application behavior, or unauthorized access attempts on affected systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should identify any remaining unpatched systems within the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping browser engines and web rendering components up-to-date, as these components represent frequent targets for sophisticated exploitation campaigns.