CVE-2012-3627 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in Apple Safari before 6.0, 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-2012-07-25-1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2025
CVE-2012-3627 represents a critical memory corruption vulnerability within WebKit engine that was present in Apple Safari versions prior to 6.0. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability type, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read errors that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The flaw exists in the WebKit rendering engine's handling of crafted web content, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within WebKit's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers could craft malicious web pages containing specially formatted content that would trigger buffer overflows or memory corruption when processed by Safari's WebKit engine. This memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim's browser session, effectively allowing remote code execution attacks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include denial of service conditions where legitimate applications could crash due to memory corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability created significant risk for Apple Safari users as it could be exploited through drive-by downloads or malicious websites that would automatically execute malicious code when a user visited the compromised site. The attack vector was particularly insidious because it required no user interaction beyond normal web browsing, making it a prime target for targeted attacks and malware distribution. Security researchers noted that this vulnerability was distinct from other WebKit-related issues referenced in APPLE-SA-2012-07-25-1, indicating that it represented a unique memory corruption flaw that required specific mitigation approaches.
Organizations and individual users were strongly advised to upgrade to Safari 6.0 or later versions immediately upon release to mitigate this vulnerability. The patch implemented by Apple addressed the underlying memory management issues within WebKit's rendering engine and included additional input validation measures to prevent the specific memory corruption patterns that enabled exploitation. Security professionals recommended implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and browser security extensions to provide additional layers of defense while awaiting official patches. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of keeping browser software updated and demonstrated how seemingly minor memory management flaws could have severe security implications in widely used applications.
This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including initial access through malicious websites and execution via code injection techniques. The attack chain typically involved compromising a website, embedding malicious JavaScript code, and leveraging the memory corruption to execute attacker-controlled payloads. The remediation approach required both vendor patches and user education to ensure proper software updates were deployed. Security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-128 provided guidance on monitoring for exploitation attempts and implementing proper incident response procedures when such vulnerabilities were detected in the wild.