CVE-2015-7061 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The ASN.1 decoder in Apple OS X before 10.11.2, tvOS before 9.1, and watchOS before 2.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted certificate, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-7059 and CVE-2015-7060.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-7061 represents a critical flaw in the ASN.1 decoder implementation within Apple's operating systems, affecting multiple platform versions including OS X before 10.11.2, tvOS before 9.1, and watchOS before 2.1. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues that can be exploited remotely through crafted certificate inputs, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where certificate validation occurs automatically. The flaw specifically resides in how the system processes ASN.1 encoded data structures during certificate parsing operations, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code or induce system crashes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking and memory management within the ASN.1 decoding routines. When the system encounters a malformed certificate containing specially crafted ASN.1 structures, the decoder fails to properly validate input boundaries, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions. This type of vulnerability is classified as CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation in cryptographic processing components. The attack vector requires remote delivery of a malicious certificate through standard certificate validation processes, making it particularly insidious as it can be triggered during routine security operations such as SSL/TLS handshakes, code signing verification, or certificate chain validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7061 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected process, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The memory corruption can manifest as stack corruption, heap corruption, or pointer manipulation that allows for code execution control flow hijacking. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1190, Exploit Public-Facing Application, and T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to gain persistent access and execute malicious payloads through legitimate certificate validation pathways. The attack surface includes any application or service that validates certificates, including web browsers, email clients, and system security tools that rely on Apple's certificate validation libraries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment across all affected Apple platforms, as the flaw represents an unauthenticated remote code execution risk. System administrators should prioritize updating to the patched versions of OS X 10.11.2, tvOS 9.1, and watchOS 2.1, which contain corrected ASN.1 parsing routines with proper bounds checking and memory management. Network administrators should implement certificate monitoring and validation controls to detect potentially malicious certificates, while security teams should review certificate trust stores and implement additional validation layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of cryptographic library security and proper input validation in system security, particularly in operating system core components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and certificate pinning strategies to limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future, as this flaw illustrates how seemingly benign certificate processing can become a gateway for complete system compromise.