CVE-2015-3703 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
ImageIO in Apple iOS before 8.4 and OS X before 10.10.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted TIFF image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3703 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's ImageIO framework that affected iOS versions prior to 8.4 and OS X versions prior to 10.10.4. This issue resides in the handling of TIFF image files and demonstrates how image processing libraries can become attack vectors for remote code execution. The vulnerability specifically impacts the way ImageIO parses TIFF format files, creating opportunities for malicious actors to craft specially designed images that trigger memory corruption conditions when processed by the affected operating systems.
The technical flaw manifests through improper bounds checking and memory management within the TIFF parser implementation. When a maliciously crafted TIFF image is processed, the parser fails to properly validate image dimensions and data structures, leading to buffer overflows or heap corruption scenarios. This memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable remote command execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides attackers with the capability to achieve persistent remote code execution on affected systems. Mobile devices running vulnerable iOS versions and desktop systems running affected OS X versions become susceptible to attacks when processing untrusted image files, whether through email attachments, web browsing, or file sharing mechanisms. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that TIFF images are commonly encountered in various contexts including business documents, web content, and digital media exchanges, making the exploitation vector highly accessible.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3703 primarily focus on prompt system updates and patch management. Apple released security updates for iOS 8.4 and OS X 10.10.4 that addressed the memory corruption issues within the ImageIO framework. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems and implement additional protective measures such as image validation policies, sandboxing of image processing components, and network-based filtering of suspicious image files. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual image processing activities and potential exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should account for potential remote code execution scenarios that could lead to full system compromise.