CVE-2016-1800 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Captive Network Assistant in Apple OS X before 10.11.5 mishandles a custom URL scheme, which allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1800 resides within the Captive Network Assistant component of Apple's macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.11.5. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that exploits the improper handling of custom URL schemes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability operates through a user-assisted remote attack model, meaning that successful exploitation requires some form of user interaction or deception to initiate the malicious payload.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the Captive Network Assistant's processing of custom URL schemes. When the system encounters a specially crafted URL, it fails to properly sanitize or verify the input parameters before executing associated commands. This improper input handling creates a classic injection vulnerability that can be leveraged to bypass normal security boundaries. The flaw falls under the category of CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and demonstrates how seemingly benign URL scheme processing can become a vector for privilege escalation and code execution. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to system resources and escalate privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to macOS users and organizations relying on Apple's operating system for their computing infrastructure. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that organizations cannot entirely rely on network-based protections, as successful exploitation requires user interaction with malicious content. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter phishing attempts or malicious websites that trigger the vulnerable code path. Attackers could craft malicious web pages or network configurations that, when processed by the Captive Network Assistant, would execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the logged-in user. The implications include potential data theft, system compromise, and the possibility of establishing persistent backdoors on affected systems.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2016-1800 centers on upgrading to Apple macOS 10.11.5 or later versions, which contain the necessary patches to address the custom URL scheme handling flaw. Organizations should prioritize this update as part of their regular patch management procedures, ensuring that all affected systems receive the security updates promptly. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual URL scheme processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would place it within the T1059.007 technique category, which covers application execution through scripting languages and system commands. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that could lead to exploitation, as the user-assisted nature of the vulnerability requires human interaction to be effective.