CVE-2015-3725 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
MobileInstallation in Apple iOS before 8.4 does not ensure the uniqueness of Watch bundle IDs, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service (ID collision and Watch launch outage) via a crafted universal provisioning profile app.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3725 resides within Apple iOS mobile installation framework, specifically affecting versions prior to iOS 8.4. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the system's application provisioning and installation mechanisms, where the mobile installation service fails to properly validate the uniqueness of bundle identifiers for Apple Watch applications. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the provisioning profile processing pipeline, creating a condition where multiple applications can be assigned identical bundle identifiers for watchOS components. This fundamental failure in identifier management creates a cascading effect that undermines the integrity of the application installation process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of universal provisioning profiles, which are designed to contain multiple application identifiers and certificates for different device types. When an attacker crafts a malicious provisioning profile containing duplicate bundle IDs for watch applications, the mobile installation service processes these identifiers without proper validation, leading to conflicts in the system's application registry. The vulnerability manifests as an ID collision error where the system cannot distinguish between applications with identical bundle identifiers, causing the installation process to fail or the watch application to become non-functional. This specific implementation flaw falls under CWE-1037, which addresses insufficient validation of identifiers, and represents a classic case of inadequate input sanitization within the mobile application provisioning ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, creating significant security and usability implications for iOS users and enterprise environments. When watch applications fail to launch due to bundle ID collisions, users experience complete application outages that can disrupt critical functionality, particularly for applications that rely on watchOS integration for time-sensitive operations. The denial of service affects not just individual applications but can potentially impact the entire watchOS application ecosystem, as the mobile installation service becomes unable to properly manage the application registry. This vulnerability creates a persistent threat that can be exploited repeatedly, as the underlying flaw in the provisioning profile validation mechanism remains unaddressed until iOS 8.4 is deployed. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal technical expertise to craft malicious provisioning profiles, making it accessible to threat actors with basic knowledge of iOS application packaging.
Organizations and individual users can mitigate this vulnerability by implementing immediate iOS version updates to iOS 8.4 or later, which contain the necessary patches to enforce bundle ID uniqueness validation. Additionally, administrators should exercise caution when processing provisioning profiles from untrusted sources and implement strict verification procedures before deploying applications to iOS devices. The mitigation strategy should include monitoring for suspicious provisioning profile activity and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all iOS devices within the organization. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through provisioning profiles and represents a significant weakness in the iOS application security model that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of proper identifier validation in mobile application ecosystems and highlights the need for robust input sanitization mechanisms in all provisioning and installation processes.