CVE-2012-0628 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 • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0628 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within WebKit engine components that power Apple's mobile operating system iOS and desktop iTunes application. This vulnerability specifically affects versions of iOS prior to 5.1 and iTunes versions prior to 10.6, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries could exploit to gain unauthorized code execution or disrupt system operations. The flaw manifests through carefully crafted web content that, when rendered by the affected WebKit components, triggers unpredictable memory behavior leading to system instability or complete compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within WebKit's rendering engine, where maliciously constructed web pages can manipulate memory pointers or buffer boundaries in ways that were not properly validated or sanitized. This type of memory corruption vulnerability aligns with common CWE categories related to buffer overflows and memory safety issues, specifically CWE-121 which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions and CWE-125 which covers out-of-bounds read scenarios. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of browser engine security and application sandboxing, where the WebKit engine fails to properly validate input from untrusted web sources before processing potentially malicious content.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to users of affected Apple products since it enables remote code execution without requiring any local privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack vector leverages the trust users place in web browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites that could be accessed by unsuspecting victims. The memory corruption behavior can manifest as either arbitrary code execution allowing attackers to install malware or perform privilege escalation, or as denial of service conditions that crash the affected applications and potentially cause system instability. This vulnerability directly impacts the ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems.
The security implications extend beyond immediate exploitation as this vulnerability demonstrates weaknesses in Apple's code review and testing processes for their WebKit implementations. The fact that this represents a distinct vulnerability from other WebKit issues referenced in the APPLE-SA-2012-03-07-1 and APPLE-SA-2012-03-07-2 advisories indicates that the memory corruption patterns are not simply repetitive flaws but represent unique attack surfaces within the rendering engine. Organizations and individuals using affected versions of iOS or iTunes face significant exposure risks, particularly in enterprise environments where mobile device management policies may not be sufficient to prevent access to malicious web content. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of timely patch management and security updates, as users who delay updating their systems remain vulnerable to exploitation by threat actors who may have already developed working exploit code for this specific memory corruption issue.