CVE-2015-7073 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
Apple iOS before 9.2, OS X before 10.11.2, tvOS before 9.1, and watchOS before 2.1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted SSL handshake.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7073 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's secure socket layer implementation across multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 9.2, OS X versions before 10.11.2, tvOS versions before 9.1, and watchOS versions before 2.1. This weakness resides in the SSL/TLS handshake processing mechanism where malformed or crafted handshake messages can trigger unpredictable behavior in the underlying cryptographic libraries. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes specially crafted SSL handshake records that contain malformed data structures or unexpected field values, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions that can be exploited by remote attackers. The flaw specifically affects the SSL implementation within Apple's security framework, which is responsible for establishing secure communications between devices and servers. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems or cause intentional denial of service conditions through application crashes and system instability. The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Apple devices for secure communications, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction or authentication. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that SSL/TLS connections are fundamental to secure web browsing, email communications, and enterprise network protocols. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially allow full system compromise when attackers can execute code with the privileges of the affected application processes. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in cryptographic implementations, as even minor flaws in SSL processing can lead to severe security consequences. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves command and scripting interpreter execution through remote code execution vulnerabilities. Organizations must prioritize patching affected systems immediately, as the vulnerability can be exploited in the wild with relatively simple attack vectors that do not require specialized tools or extensive reconnaissance. The memory corruption aspects of this vulnerability make it particularly dangerous because they can lead to unpredictable behavior including privilege escalation opportunities and potential information disclosure through memory dumps. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect unusual SSL handshake patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all Apple devices receive the appropriate security updates to remediate this vulnerability. The remediation process requires careful attention to version compatibility across all affected platforms, as different operating systems may require different update procedures and verification steps to ensure complete protection against this memory corruption vulnerability.