CVE-2015-7032 in iWork
Summary
by MITRE
The Apple iWork application before 2.6 for iOS, Apple Keynote before 6.6, Apple Pages before 5.6, and Apple Numbers before 3.6 allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted document.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7032 represents a significant information disclosure flaw affecting multiple Apple iWork applications across iOS and macOS platforms. This weakness resides in the document parsing mechanisms of Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and the iWork suite for iOS, where crafted malicious documents can trigger unintended data exposure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the way these productivity tools handle malformed or specially constructed document files. Attackers can exploit this issue by crafting documents that, when opened by vulnerable versions of these applications, cause the software to inadvertently reveal sensitive information from the system or application memory.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and more specifically aligns with CWE-457, indicating the use of uninitialized variables or memory that could contain residual data. The flaw manifests when the affected applications process documents containing maliciously constructed elements that trigger memory access patterns or parsing errors. These applications fail to properly validate or sanitize input data, allowing attackers to construct documents that, when processed, may expose system memory contents or internal application state information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the document level where users typically expect to encounter benign files, making it difficult to detect and prevent through conventional security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7032 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the sensitive data that can be obtained may include system memory contents, application state information, or other potentially confidential data that could be leveraged for further attacks. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may open documents from untrusted sources, as it could potentially expose internal network information, user credentials, or other sensitive data. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can deliver malicious documents through email, web downloads, or other remote vectors without requiring local access to the target system. Organizations running vulnerable versions of these applications face risks of data leakage, potential privilege escalation, and the possibility of using the disclosed information to conduct more sophisticated attacks against the same systems or users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to patched versions of the affected applications, specifically Apple Keynote 6.6, Pages 5.6, Numbers 3.6, and iWork 2.6 for iOS. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive updates promptly. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing document filtering mechanisms that scan incoming files for known malicious patterns or suspicious constructs, though this approach may not be foolproof given the nature of the vulnerability. Network-based security controls such as email filtering and web proxies can help reduce the risk of exploitation by blocking suspicious documents before they reach end users. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of user education regarding the risks of opening documents from untrusted sources and the need for regular software updates to maintain security posture against known vulnerabilities. This case demonstrates how seemingly benign application functionality can create security risks when input validation is insufficient, emphasizing the critical need for robust security practices in document processing applications.