CVE-2015-7068 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
IOKit SCSI in Apple iOS before 9.2, OS X before 10.11.2, tvOS before 9.1, and watchOS before 2.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via an app that provides an unspecified userclient type.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7068 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's IOKit framework, specifically affecting SCSI driver components across multiple operating systems. This issue manifests in iOS versions prior to 9.2, OS X versions before 10.11.2, tvOS versions before 9.1, and watchOS versions before 2.1, creating a widespread attack surface that could potentially compromise system integrity. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of userclient types within the kernel-level IOKit subsystem, which is responsible for managing hardware drivers and system interfaces in Apple's operating systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when an application provides an unspecified userclient type to the IOKit SCSI subsystem. This flaw allows malicious applications to manipulate the kernel's handling of device driver interfaces, potentially leading to privilege escalation or system crashes. The IOKit framework operates at a privileged kernel level, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-476 as a NULL pointer dereference, which represents a common class of software defects that can lead to system instability and potential privilege escalation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to affected systems as it enables attackers to execute malicious code within a privileged context without requiring physical access or additional exploitation primitives. The attack vector involves a malicious application that can be installed on a target device, making this a serious concern for both consumer and enterprise environments. The potential impact ranges from denial of service conditions that can crash the system to more severe privilege escalation scenarios that could allow attackers to gain root access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for execution through kernel modules and T1068 for privilege escalation, making it a particularly dangerous exploit in the context of mobile and desktop security.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites, as it can be triggered through ordinary application installation and execution, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to compromise Apple devices. Organizations and users should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to prevent potential exploitation, as the vulnerability represents a persistent threat that could be leveraged for data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, or system-wide compromise. The IOKit subsystem's role in managing hardware interfaces and driver communication makes this vulnerability particularly concerning, as it could potentially be chained with other exploits to achieve more sophisticated attack objectives. Security professionals should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and implement appropriate network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs.