CVE-2012-1140 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
FreeType before 2.4.9, as used in Mozilla Firefox Mobile before 10.0.4 and other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (invalid heap read operation and memory corruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PostScript font object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1140 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within the FreeType font rendering library that affects multiple software products including Mozilla Firefox Mobile versions prior to 10.0.4. This issue stems from inadequate input validation when processing PostScript font files, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities through maliciously crafted font objects. The flaw specifically manifests during the parsing of PostScript font structures where the library fails to properly validate the size and boundaries of font data, leading to invalid heap read operations that can cascade into more severe memory corruption conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a vulnerable application processes a specially crafted PostScript font file that contains malformed data structures. FreeType's font parsing routines do not adequately validate the length parameters within PostScript font headers, allowing attackers to manipulate the parsing logic to read beyond allocated heap memory boundaries. This invalid heap read operation can result in information disclosure, application crashes, or in more sophisticated exploitation scenarios, can be leveraged to achieve arbitrary code execution through controlled memory corruption. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations that can lead to memory corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to mobile and desktop applications that utilize FreeType for font rendering, particularly affecting web browsers and document viewers that support PostScript font formats. The remote attack vector means that users can be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or opening compromised documents containing the malicious font files. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform denial of service attacks that crash applications or potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions as the vulnerability can be exploited through web-based attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently browse untrusted content.
The exploitation of CVE-2012-1140 aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically the privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques where attackers can leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities to gain elevated privileges or maintain persistent access. The vulnerability can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation may enable attackers to execute arbitrary code within the target system. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to FreeType version 2.4.9 or later, applying patches to affected Mozilla Firefox Mobile versions, and implementing web content filtering measures to prevent access to potentially malicious font files. Additionally, security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted font processing components.