CVE-2014-1382 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in Apple iOS before 7.1.2, Apple Safari before 6.1.5 and 7.x before 7.0.5, and Apple TV before 6.1.2, 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-2014-06-30-1, APPLE-SA-2014-06-30-3, and APPLE-SA-2014-06-30-4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
This vulnerability resides within the WebKit rendering engine, a critical component that powers web browsing functionality across multiple Apple platforms including iOS, Safari, and Apple TV. The flaw represents a memory corruption issue that manifests when processing specifically crafted web content, enabling remote attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or induce system crashes. This vulnerability specifically affected versions of Apple's operating systems and browsers released prior to the mentioned security patches, creating a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit web-based attack vectors. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue indicates that it involves improper handling of memory allocation or deallocation processes within the WebKit engine, which can lead to unpredictable behavior when processing malformed input data.
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 websites containing specially designed content that would trigger buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios when processed by the vulnerable WebKit implementation. These memory corruption conditions typically occur when the browser attempts to access memory locations that have been freed or when it writes beyond allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full code execution, making it particularly dangerous for remote exploitation scenarios. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability would fall under CWE-119, which addresses "Improper Access to Memory Location" and encompasses various memory corruption issues including buffer overflows and use-after-free errors.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1382 was significant across Apple's ecosystem, affecting users of iOS devices, Safari browsers, and Apple TV systems. Organizations and individuals using affected versions faced potential exposure to remote code execution attacks that could compromise system integrity, leading to unauthorized access to user data, system resources, and potentially complete system control. The vulnerability's remote nature meant that users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites, making it particularly dangerous for web browsing activities. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1203, which covers "Exploitation for Client Execution," and T1059, covering "Command and Scripting Interpreter," as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code through web-based exploitation vectors. The vulnerability's impact was particularly severe because it affected multiple Apple platforms simultaneously, creating widespread exposure across different device types and operating systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability centered around applying the respective security patches released by Apple, which included updates to iOS versions, Safari browser releases, and Apple TV firmware. System administrators and users were advised to immediately update their affected systems to prevent exploitation. Additional protective measures included implementing web filtering solutions, disabling JavaScript in web browsers when not required, and employing network-based security controls to monitor and block suspicious web traffic. Organizations should have also considered implementing sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, though this was less effective against memory corruption vulnerabilities that could potentially bypass such protections. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of regular security updates and the need for robust patch management processes to protect against known exploits in widely used software components like WebKit rendering engines.