CVE-2015-7065 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
OpenGL in Apple iOS before 9.2, OS X before 10.11.2, and tvOS before 9.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7065 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the OpenGL graphics rendering subsystem of Apple's operating systems. This vulnerability affects iOS versions prior to 9.2, macOS versions before 10.11.2, and tvOS versions before 9.1, creating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The flaw specifically resides in how the OpenGL implementation handles certain graphical operations when processing content from web browsers, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through malicious websites without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting the compromised site. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during OpenGL context operations, where insufficient bounds checking and validation allows attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious website loads OpenGL content that triggers a buffer overflow or memory corruption condition within the graphics rendering pipeline. Attackers can craft specific web pages containing specially formatted graphics data that, when rendered by the affected iOS, macOS, or tvOS systems, causes memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the rendering process. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow, though the actual implementation involves heap corruption due to the nature of OpenGL memory management. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it operates entirely within the browser context and does not require any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site, making it a prime candidate for drive-by attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7065 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full system compromise capabilities. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or installation of persistent backdoors. The memory corruption affects the graphics rendering engine's ability to properly manage memory allocations, creating opportunities for attackers to overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, or other control structures. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as the initial compromise through web browsing can lead to privilege escalation within the graphics subsystem. The impact is severe enough that it affects millions of devices across Apple's platforms and represents a significant risk to user privacy and system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7065 primarily involve immediate system updates to the patched versions of Apple's operating systems. Users should promptly install iOS 9.2, macOS 10.11.2, or tvOS 9.1 updates to address the vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement network-level protections such as web filtering and content inspection to prevent access to known malicious sites. Browser security configurations should be hardened by disabling WebGL and other graphics acceleration features when not required. System administrators should monitor for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive logging of graphics-related system calls. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and highlights the critical nature of graphics rendering subsystems in modern operating systems, where vulnerabilities can provide attackers with direct paths to system compromise. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing measures for graphics processing components to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.