CVE-2012-3724 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
CFNetwork in Apple iOS before 6 does not properly identify the host portion of a URL, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging the construction of an HTTP request with an incorrect hostname derived from a malformed URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3724 resides within Apple iOS versions prior to 6.0, specifically affecting the CFNetwork framework which handles network communications and URL processing. This flaw represents a critical issue in how iOS processes malformed URLs, creating a potential avenue for attackers to manipulate network requests and potentially access sensitive information. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of the host portion within Uniform Resource Locator structures, allowing malicious actors to exploit the URL parsing mechanism in unexpected ways.
The technical flaw manifests when CFNetwork encounters a malformed URL that contains a host component which is not properly validated or sanitized during the HTTP request construction process. This misconfiguration allows attackers to craft specially designed URLs that, when processed by the framework, result in incorrect hostname derivation. The vulnerability specifically impacts how the system interprets and constructs HTTP requests based on malformed URL inputs, creating a situation where the intended destination of network traffic can be manipulated or misidentified. This issue falls under the broader category of improper input validation and can be classified as a CWE-20 weakness related to input validation and normalization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to potentially redirect network traffic to unintended destinations or manipulate how sensitive data is transmitted. When iOS devices process URLs with malformed host components, the system may inadvertently include or exclude certain portions of the hostname in the constructed HTTP requests, potentially allowing for information leakage or redirection attacks. This weakness could be exploited in various attack scenarios including man-in-the-middle situations, where attackers could manipulate the host portion of requests to redirect traffic through malicious endpoints. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications and services that rely on iOS devices for network communication, creating potential exposure points for sensitive data transmission.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3724 primarily focus on upgrading to iOS 6.0 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper URL host validation and normalization. System administrators should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of iOS-based applications and services. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1566 for Phishing, as it can be leveraged in social engineering campaigns targeting iOS users. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and traffic inspection mechanisms to detect and prevent malformed URL exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular patch management procedures to address similar vulnerabilities in other system components.