CVE-2015-5847 in Watch
Summary
by MITRE
The Disk Images component in Apple iOS before 9 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5847 resides within Apple iOS's Disk Images component, affecting versions prior to iOS 9. This component is responsible for handling disk image files including dmg and iso formats, which are commonly used for software distribution and system backups. The flaw represents a critical security weakness that could be exploited by local attackers to either escalate privileges or cause system instability through memory corruption. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can also lead to denial of service conditions that may require system restarts or render the device inoperable. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users frequently download and execute various disk image files from different sources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption issues within the Disk Images component's processing routines. When iOS handles disk image files, the system allocates memory buffers to store and process the image data. The flaw occurs during this processing phase where insufficient bounds checking or improper memory management allows maliciously crafted disk image files to trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions. These memory corruption vulnerabilities typically arise from inadequate input validation and lack of proper memory allocation safeguards within the component's codebase. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack paths exist within the processing logic, potentially involving different file formats, compression methods, or metadata handling within the disk images. This complexity makes the vulnerability particularly challenging to fully understand and patch, as it may require comprehensive code review of the entire disk image processing pipeline.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for iOS users and organizations relying on mobile devices for business operations. Local attackers who can execute code on a device with the vulnerable iOS version can leverage this flaw to gain elevated privileges, potentially accessing sensitive user data, system files, or network resources that should normally be restricted. The denial of service aspect means that even if privilege escalation is not achieved, attackers can still disrupt normal device operation by causing crashes or memory corruption that requires manual intervention. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise environments where mobile devices handle confidential data and where device stability is critical for business continuity. The local nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require network access or complex social engineering, making it more accessible to threat actors who already have access to the target device.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common manifestations of memory corruption vulnerabilities in system components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and denial of service tactics, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent access or disrupt operations. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory iOS updates to version 9 or later, which contain the necessary patches for this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing mobile device management policies that restrict the execution of disk images from untrusted sources, conducting regular security assessments of mobile device configurations, and maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence on similar vulnerabilities in other system components. Network monitoring should also be enhanced to detect unusual device behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should be updated to address potential privilege escalation or denial of service scenarios involving mobile devices.