CVE-2015-5816 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in JavaScriptCore in Apple iOS before 9 and iTunes before 12.3, 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-2015-09-16-1 and APPLE-SA-2015-09-16-3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2024
CVE-2015-5816 represents a critical memory corruption vulnerability within WebKit's JavaScriptCore engine that affected Apple iOS versions prior to 9.0 and iTunes versions prior to 12.3. This vulnerability resides in the JavaScriptCore JavaScript engine implementation within WebKit, which serves as the core rendering and execution engine for web content in Apple's ecosystem. The flaw manifests when processing crafted web content that triggers improper memory handling during JavaScript execution, creating a condition where attackers can manipulate memory allocation and deallocation patterns to achieve arbitrary code execution or system crashes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves heap corruption mechanisms that occur when JavaScriptCore processes malformed or specially crafted JavaScript code within web pages. Attackers can construct malicious web pages that, when loaded in a vulnerable browser environment, cause the JavaScript engine to improperly manage memory regions, leading to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption artifacts. These memory management failures can be exploited to overwrite critical program memory locations, redirect execution flow, or cause application instability through controlled crashes. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of JavaScript interpretation and low-level memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it bridges high-level scripting with system-level operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to mobile and desktop users who may encounter malicious web content through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or drive-by downloads. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service to full arbitrary code execution capabilities, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security boundaries, escalate privileges, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only a user to visit a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users may encounter untrusted web content more frequently. This aligns with attack patterns described in the attack technique matrix under technique T1211 for exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The security implications of CVE-2015-5816 extend to enterprise and consumer environments alike, as the affected software components are widely deployed across Apple's ecosystem. Organizations relying on Apple devices for business operations face potential exposure through web-based attacks, while individual users encounter risks from browsing untrusted websites or encountering compromised web content. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) reflects the core memory safety issues present in the JavaScriptCore implementation. Mitigation strategies include immediate software updates to patched versions of iOS and iTunes, implementation of web content filtering solutions, and user education regarding safe browsing practices to minimize exposure to malicious web content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust memory management in interpreted scripting environments and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of core engine components that handle untrusted input from web content.