CVE-2015-7077 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The Intel Graphics Driver component in Apple OS X before 10.11.2 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds memory access) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7077 represents a critical security flaw within the Intel Graphics Driver component of Apple's operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.11.2. This issue resides in the graphics subsystem that manages hardware acceleration for display operations and graphics processing tasks. The vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds memory access condition that can be exploited by local attackers who have already gained system access. Such vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can be leveraged to escalate privileges or disrupt system operations, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The flaw exists within the graphics driver code that handles various graphics-related operations and memory management functions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the graphics driver implementation when processing certain graphics commands or data structures. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-129 category of "Improper Validation of Array Index" and represents a classic buffer overflow condition where the driver fails to validate memory access boundaries. The out-of-bounds memory access occurs when the graphics driver attempts to read or write data beyond the allocated memory regions, potentially corrupting adjacent memory or accessing protected system areas. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious graphics operations or memory access patterns that trigger the vulnerable code path. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the graphics driver context which typically runs with elevated privileges to ensure proper hardware interaction and system performance.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7077 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include potential privilege escalation capabilities that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. Local users who have already compromised a system can leverage this vulnerability to elevate their privileges from standard user level to root access, effectively bypassing system security controls. Additionally, the out-of-bounds memory access can cause system instability, crashes, or hangs that result in denial of service conditions affecting normal system operations. This vulnerability particularly impacts multi-user environments where local access might be obtained through various attack vectors such as social engineering, compromised accounts, or other initial compromise techniques. The graphics driver component is frequently accessed during normal system operations, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through routine graphics processing activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7077 focus primarily on updating to Apple OS X version 10.11.2 or later, which includes patches addressing the graphics driver vulnerability. System administrators should prioritize deployment of the official security updates provided by Apple to ensure complete protection against this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict access controls to limit local user privileges, monitoring system logs for unusual graphics-related activities, and maintaining updated security monitoring tools to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and patch management programs that can quickly identify and remediate similar issues. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation techniques to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities even if they are successfully exploited. Security teams should also monitor for related vulnerabilities in graphics drivers and maintain awareness of the ATT&CK framework techniques that may involve graphics driver exploitation for privilege escalation purposes.