CVE-2015-1097 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
IOMobileFramebuffer in Apple iOS before 8.3 and Apple TV before 7.2 allows attackers to obtain sensitive information about kernel memory via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1097 resides within the IOMobileFramebuffer component of Apple's iOS operating system and Apple TV firmware, affecting versions prior to iOS 8.3 and Apple TV 7.2. This flaw represents a critical information disclosure issue that enables malicious actors to extract sensitive kernel memory contents through specially crafted applications. The IOMobileFramebuffer serves as a crucial subsystem responsible for managing display output and framebuffer operations on mobile devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to access low-level system information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the framebuffer driver interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by developing malicious applications that manipulate the IOMobileFramebuffer API in ways that bypass normal security boundaries. The flaw allows for arbitrary memory reads that can expose kernel memory contents including sensitive data structures, cryptographic keys, and other confidential information that should remain protected from user-space applications. This represents a classic case of inadequate access control mechanisms where the kernel's memory protection is circumvented through improper validation of user-supplied parameters.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1097 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked kernel memory information can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains access to critical system internals that could reveal memory layout information, kernel function addresses, and other sensitive data useful for bypassing security mitigations such as address space layout randomization. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure issues, and demonstrates how seemingly limited information leaks can provide attackers with the building blocks necessary for privilege escalation and system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple attack vectors defined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to privilege escalation and information gathering.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to the patched versions of iOS and Apple TV firmware, as Apple released security updates specifically addressing this flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive the necessary updates. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious application behavior that might indicate attempts to exploit similar memory disclosure vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust kernel memory protection mechanisms and proper input validation in mobile operating systems, emphasizing the need for continuous security assessment of core system components that interface with hardware resources. Security teams should also consider implementing application sandboxing controls and monitoring for unusual memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts against similar vulnerabilities in the mobile ecosystem.