CVE-2015-5933 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Audio in Apple OS X before 10.11.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted audio file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5934.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5933 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the audio processing subsystem of Apple's macOS operating system. This vulnerability affects versions prior to macOS 10.11.1 and specifically targets the way the system handles crafted audio files, creating a pathway for remote attackers to gain unauthorized execution privileges or cause system instability. The flaw operates through the improper handling of malformed audio data during the decoding or processing phase, where insufficient input validation leads to buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code remotely. This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2015-5934, indicating separate code paths and exploitation vectors within the audio processing framework, which underscores the complexity of the underlying software architecture and the need for comprehensive input validation across all media processing components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory management flaws within the audio handling libraries that process various audio formats within the macOS ecosystem. When a maliciously crafted audio file is processed by the system, the vulnerable code fails to properly validate the file structure or data boundaries, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations. This memory corruption typically manifests through buffer overflow conditions or use-after-free scenarios where attacker-controlled data can overwrite function pointers, return addresses, or other critical program state information. The vulnerability operates at a low level within the operating system's audio processing pipeline, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through various legitimate audio playback mechanisms, including network streams, file downloads, or embedded media content in web applications. The flaw aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, which are fundamental memory safety issues that have historically been the primary attack surface for remote code execution exploits in operating system components.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5933 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities that align with the ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation tactics. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user account that is processing the malicious audio file, potentially leading to complete system compromise when combined with additional exploitation techniques or when the target user has elevated privileges. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious audio content through email attachments, web browsing, or network file shares. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that audio processing occurs frequently in modern computing environments, with users encountering audio content through multiple channels including web applications, multimedia applications, and network services, creating numerous potential attack vectors for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5933 should prioritize immediate system updates to macOS 10.11.1 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper input validation and memory safety controls to address the underlying buffer overflow conditions. Network administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various network-based attack vectors including web browsing, email attachments, and file sharing protocols. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of critical systems, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts, and establishing user awareness programs to prevent accidental execution of malicious audio content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in operating system components, particularly in multimedia processing libraries where the complexity of audio format handling creates numerous potential attack surfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted audio processing applications and maintain regular security assessments of multimedia processing components to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other parts of the system.