CVE-2016-1730 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
WebSheet in Apple iOS before 9.2.1 allows remote attackers to read or write to cookies by operating a crafted captive portal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1730 represents a significant security flaw in Apple iOS versions prior to 9.2.1 affecting the WebSheet component. This issue stems from improper handling of network authentication scenarios, specifically when users encounter captive portals during wireless network connections. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated attack vector that leverages the interaction between the device's web browsing functionality and captive portal authentication mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker sets up a malicious captive portal that tricks the iOS device into treating it as a legitimate network authentication page. The WebSheet component in iOS, designed to handle web-based authentication flows, fails to properly validate the authenticity of the portal and instead processes the attacker-controlled interface. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious content that can read or write cookies stored by the device, effectively bypassing normal web security boundaries. The flaw resides in the insufficient validation of captive portal responses and the improper isolation of web content during authentication processes.
This vulnerability has substantial operational impact as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking and credential theft without requiring physical access to the device or user interaction beyond connecting to the malicious network. The ability to read and write cookies means that attackers can access session tokens, authentication credentials, and other sensitive data that web applications store in browser cookies. This capability extends to stealing user sessions across multiple applications and services, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate or personal data. The vulnerability affects both individual users and enterprise environments where iOS devices are commonly used.
The exploitation of CVE-2016-1730 aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through network phishing and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-200 for exposure of sensitive information and CWE-352 for cross-site request forgery, though the specific implementation details involve network protocol handling rather than traditional web application flaws. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to iOS 9.2.1 or later, deploying network monitoring solutions to detect malicious captive portal activity, and educating users about the risks of connecting to untrusted wireless networks. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing captive portal validation mechanisms and regular security assessments of wireless infrastructure to prevent exploitation of this class of vulnerabilities.