CVE-2016-1745 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
IOFireWireFamily in Apple OS X before 10.11.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1745 resides within the IOFireWireFamily component of Apple's operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to macOS 10.11.4. This flaw represents a critical security issue that allows local attackers to exploit a NULL pointer dereference condition, potentially leading to system instability and denial of service scenarios. The IOFireWireFamily is responsible for managing FireWire hardware interfaces and their associated kernel extensions, making it a crucial component for system functionality and hardware communication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the FireWire family implementation. When processing certain FireWire-related operations or device communications, the kernel component fails to properly validate pointer references, resulting in a situation where a NULL pointer is dereferenced during execution. This condition typically occurs when the system attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL. The vulnerability manifests through unspecified vectors, suggesting that multiple attack pathways exist within the FireWire subsystem that can trigger this specific memory access error.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to system stability and availability. Local users with minimal privileges can exploit this condition to force kernel-level crashes, resulting in system hangs or complete reboots. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the NULL pointer dereference can potentially corrupt kernel memory structures, leading to more severe system instability. This vulnerability directly affects the reliability of systems running affected macOS versions and can be particularly problematic in enterprise environments where system uptime is critical. The exploitation mechanism does not require elevated privileges, making it accessible to any local user account and increasing the attack surface significantly.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL Pointer Dereference conditions in software implementations. This classification indicates that the flaw exists in the fundamental memory management practices within the kernel code, where proper null checks are either missing or insufficiently implemented. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1499 which covers 'Endpoint Denial of Service'. While the initial exploit requires only local access, the potential for escalation exists through system instability that could provide additional attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1745 primarily focus on immediate system updates to macOS 10.11.4 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper pointer validation and null checking mechanisms. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems and monitor for any signs of exploitation attempts. Additional mitigations include implementing kernel extension restrictions and monitoring for unusual kernel crashes or system reboots that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of local exploitation attempts, while regular system integrity checks and monitoring of kernel logs can aid in early detection of suspicious activity. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management solutions to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain visibility into system patch status across their infrastructure.