CVE-2015-1122 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in Apple iOS before 8.3, Apple TV before 7.2, and Apple Safari before 6.2.5, 7.x before 7.1.5, and 8.x before 8.0.5, 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-2015-04-08-1, APPLE-SA-2015-04-08-3, and APPLE-SA-2015-04-08-4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1122 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within WebKit engine components that power Apple's mobile and desktop browsers. This vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS versions prior to 8.3, Apple TV versions before 7.2, and Safari browser versions across several release lines. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through maliciously crafted web content, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing environments where users frequently encounter untrusted content. The vulnerability operates at the core rendering engine level, specifically targeting WebKit's handling of web page elements and memory management processes that are fundamental to browser operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific web pages that trigger memory corruption during normal browser operations. The flaw likely involves buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that occur when processing certain web content structures. These memory corruption issues can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with common web application security flaws that fall under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) classifications, representing the intersection of memory safety issues with browser security architectures.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1122 extends beyond simple exploitation capabilities to encompass significant security risks for users of affected Apple platforms. The vulnerability enables attackers to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised website scenarios. The memory corruption aspects can also lead to application crashes and system instability, creating denial of service conditions that may be exploited for persistent disruption attacks. This vulnerability directly impacts the security model of Apple's operating systems by undermining the sandboxing mechanisms that typically isolate browser processes from system resources, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or access sensitive user data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1122 primarily focus on immediate platform updates and security patches provided by Apple. Users should prioritize updating to the latest available versions of iOS, Apple TV, and Safari browsers that contain fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should implement network-level protections including web filtering solutions and browser hardening measures to reduce exposure risk. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious web traffic patterns and potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) techniques, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code and potentially escalate their access privileges within the affected systems. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and memory safety checks in web application development can help prevent similar issues in custom browser implementations, though the primary defense remains timely patch management and system updates.