CVE-2014-4373 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The IntelAccelerator driver in the IOAcceleratorFamily subsystem in Apple iOS before 8 and Apple TV before 7 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and device restart) via a crafted application.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4373 represents a critical flaw in Apple's iOS and Apple TV operating systems that affects the IOAcceleratorFamily subsystem and specifically the IntelAccelerator driver component. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the graphics acceleration framework that handles hardware acceleration requests. The flaw manifests when a malicious application submits crafted requests to the IOAccelerator subsystem, which then processes these requests without adequate null pointer checks, leading to system instability. The vulnerability impacts iOS versions prior to 8.0 and Apple TV versions prior to 7.0, representing a significant attack surface given the widespread adoption of these platforms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs within the IntelAccelerator driver's processing logic. When an application submits malformed acceleration commands through the IOAcceleratorFamily interface, the driver fails to validate pointer references before attempting to access them. This specific flaw maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions that can lead to system crashes and potentially more severe consequences. The vulnerability specifically exploits the driver's failure to properly handle edge cases in its command processing pipeline, where legitimate input validation should prevent the execution path that leads to the NULL dereference.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. While the primary effect is a system crash resulting in device restart, the underlying mechanism provides attackers with a reliable method to disrupt system operations and potentially establish a foothold for further exploitation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only a crafted application, making it particularly dangerous as it can be deployed through legitimate app stores or maliciously distributed applications. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as it allows for system-level disruption through legitimate subsystem interfaces. The device restart functionality can be leveraged to disrupt user workflows, potentially enabling timing-based attacks or creating opportunities for additional exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4373 primarily involve applying the official security updates released by Apple, which include patches to the IOAcceleratorFamily subsystem and IntelAccelerator driver components. System administrators and users should prioritize immediate deployment of iOS 8.0 and Apple TV 7.0 updates, as these releases contain the necessary code modifications to address the null pointer dereference condition. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies to prevent the execution of untrusted applications that might exploit this vulnerability, particularly in environments where device security is paramount. Network-level monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns associated with graphics acceleration subsystem usage, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in kernel-level drivers and serves as a reminder of the critical security implications of improper resource management in system components that handle hardware acceleration requests.