CVE-2015-7109 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
IOAcceleratorFamily in Apple OS X before 10.11.2 and tvOS before 9.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted app.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7109 resides within the IOAcceleratorFamily component of Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting macOS versions prior to 10.11.2 and tvOS versions prior to 9.1. This flaw represents a critical security issue that enables attackers to escalate privileges and execute malicious code within the kernel context, fundamentally compromising system integrity. The IOAcceleratorFamily serves as a crucial framework for graphics and compute acceleration operations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking elevated system access. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation and memory handling within the kernel-level driver, creating opportunities for privilege escalation attacks that can bypass standard security boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious application that leverages memory corruption flaws within the IOAcceleratorFamily kernel extension. Attackers can manipulate the system's memory management routines to achieve arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard user-mode security controls. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory" and specifically relates to memory corruption issues that allow attackers to overwrite critical system memory locations. The flaw exploits the lack of proper bounds checking and input sanitization within the kernel driver's handling of accelerator commands and memory allocations, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate kernel data structures and execute malicious payloads with system-level privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7109 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise and persistent backdoor access. Once exploited, attackers can maintain persistence across system reboots, install additional malware, and access all system resources including user data, network communications, and cryptographic keys. The vulnerability's potential for denial of service makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where system availability is critical, as attackers could simultaneously cause system crashes and establish covert access channels. This type of attack pattern aligns with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting kernel-level vulnerabilities to achieve persistent access and avoid detection mechanisms. The impact is particularly severe in environments where Apple devices serve as critical infrastructure components, such as in financial services, government agencies, or healthcare organizations where data integrity and system availability are paramount.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7109 primarily focus on immediate system updates and patch management. Apple released security updates for macOS 10.11.2 and tvOS 9.1 that address the memory corruption issues within IOAcceleratorFamily. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems and implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to identify and remediate similar issues. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activities, implementing application whitelisting policies, and conducting regular security assessments of kernel extensions. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while security monitoring solutions should be configured to detect anomalous behavior patterns associated with kernel-level privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered security approaches to protect against sophisticated kernel-level attacks that can fundamentally compromise system security.