CVE-2015-3718 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
systemstatsd in the System Stats subsystem in Apple OS X before 10.10.4 does not properly interpret data types encountered in interprocess communication, which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with systemstatsd privileges via a crafted app, related to a "type confusion" issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3718 represents a critical type confusion flaw within the systemstatsd component of Apple's OS X operating system. This issue resides within the System Stats subsystem and affects versions prior to 10.10.4, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of data types during interprocess communication, specifically within the systemstatsd daemon that manages system statistics collection and reporting. This daemon operates with elevated privileges, making any exploitation potential particularly dangerous as it could lead to system compromise with administrative capabilities.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the type confusion error that occurs when systemstatsd processes data received through interprocess communication channels. When the daemon encounters data types it cannot properly interpret, it fails to validate or sanitize the incoming data appropriately, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be leveraged for code execution. This type confusion issue falls under the CWE-471 category, which specifically addresses the problem of incorrect handling of data types during program execution. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the memory layout of the running process by crafting malicious data that appears to be one data type but is actually interpreted as another, potentially overwriting critical program variables or function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a sophisticated vector for system compromise. Since systemstatsd operates with system-level privileges, successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with the highest level of system access, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The attack requires a crafted application that can communicate with the vulnerable daemon through interprocess communication mechanisms, making it a complex but feasible attack vector. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1055 which covers process injection and code execution through legitimate system processes, as the attacker would be leveraging a legitimate system daemon to execute malicious code.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3718 primarily focus on updating to Apple OS X version 10.10.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the type confusion issue. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of this security update across all affected systems to prevent exploitation. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of interprocess communication patterns can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also implement application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from communicating with system-level daemons. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and type safety in system-level components, as highlighted by security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other system components and ensure overall system resilience against sophisticated attack vectors.