CVE-2014-4405 in MacOS X
Summary
by MITRE
IOHIDFamily in Apple iOS before 8 and Apple TV before 7 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via an application that provides crafted key-mapping properties.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4405 resides within the IOHIDFamily component of Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting iOS versions prior to 8 and Apple TV versions prior to 7. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the hardware input device management subsystem that handles keyboard and input device configurations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of key-mapping properties provided by applications, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's input handling mechanisms. The IOHIDFamily serves as a core kernel extension responsible for managing human interface devices including keyboards, mice, and other input peripherals, making it a prime target for privilege escalation attacks due to its elevated system privileges and direct hardware access capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a NULL pointer dereference condition that manifests when crafted key-mapping properties are passed to the IOHIDFamily driver. When an application provides malformed or specially constructed key-mapping data, the driver fails to properly validate these inputs before attempting to process them, resulting in a situation where a null pointer is dereferenced during the input handling routine. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which represents a common class of software defects where a program attempts to access memory through a null pointer reference. The vulnerability's impact is twofold as it can either lead to arbitrary code execution in a privileged context, allowing attackers to escalate their privileges and gain root access to the system, or alternatively cause a denial of service through system crashes that render the device unusable.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device compromise as it affects the fundamental security model of Apple's mobile and television operating systems. Attackers can leverage this flaw to bypass the system's security boundaries and execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges, potentially enabling full system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability's presence in both iOS and Apple TV platforms creates a significant attack surface since these devices often serve as gateways to corporate networks or contain sensitive user data. The exploitation requires only a malicious application that can be installed on the target device, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through legitimate app stores or through social engineering techniques that trick users into installing compromised applications. The NULL pointer dereference condition can cause immediate system crashes, leading to denial of service scenarios that can be used for persistent disruption attacks or as a component in more sophisticated multi-stage attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4405 primarily focus on applying the official security patches released by Apple, which address the input validation issues within the IOHIDFamily component. System administrators and users should immediately update their iOS devices to version 8.0 or later and Apple TV devices to version 7.0 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies to prevent the installation of untrusted applications that could potentially exploit this vulnerability. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious application behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would place it within the privilege escalation and defense evasion domains, specifically targeting techniques that leverage kernel-level vulnerabilities to gain persistent access to systems. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime application protection mechanisms and enhanced input validation controls at the application layer to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities that may not yet have official patches available.