CVE-2016-1844 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The Messages component in Apple OS X before 10.11.5 mishandles roster changes, which allows remote attackers to modify contact lists via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1844 resides within the Messages component of Apple's operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.11.5. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the handling of contact list management within the messaging application. The issue manifests when the system processes roster changes, which are typically updates to contact information, group memberships, or user presence status within the messaging framework. The improper handling of these roster modifications creates an exploitable condition that could be leveraged by remote attackers to manipulate the contact lists of affected systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data modification as it potentially enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to communication channels and user information within the messaging ecosystem.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of roster change requests within the Messages application's backend processing. When the system receives updates to contact information or group memberships, it fails to properly authenticate or verify the legitimacy of these changes, allowing malicious actors to inject unauthorized modifications. This flaw operates at the application level within the messaging infrastructure, specifically targeting the roster management functionality that maintains user contact lists and group configurations. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple attack pathways may exist, potentially including network-based attacks, malicious contact invitations, or crafted messages that trigger the vulnerable code path. The root cause aligns with common software security weaknesses related to improper input validation and insufficient access controls, which are categorized under CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation and CWE-284 - Improper Access Control. The vulnerability essentially creates a privilege escalation scenario where unauthorized modifications can be made to user contact databases without proper authentication or authorization mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1844 extends beyond simple contact list manipulation to potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of user communications. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could alter contact information to redirect communications, create false contact entries, or manipulate group memberships to gain access to sensitive conversations. This type of attack could facilitate social engineering campaigns where malicious actors modify contact lists to make themselves appear as trusted contacts, enabling more sophisticated phishing or man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple users may be affected. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to several tactics in the MITRE ATT&CK framework including T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1566 - Phishing, as it enables attackers to manipulate user contact information to facilitate more effective social engineering attacks. The compromised contact lists could also serve as a foundation for broader reconnaissance activities, as attackers could use the modified information to craft more convincing targeted attacks against other users within the organization.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1844 primarily focus on immediate system updates and configuration hardening. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to Apple OS X 10.11.5 or later versions where the vulnerability has been patched. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all affected devices receive the necessary security updates promptly. Additional protective measures include network segmentation to limit the attack surface, implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual roster changes or contact list modifications, and establishing regular audits of contact information within messaging systems. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls for contact management functions and monitoring user behavior for signs of unauthorized contact list modifications. The vulnerability's classification as a medium to high severity issue means that organizations should prioritize its remediation, particularly in environments where messaging systems are heavily used for business communications. Security teams should also develop incident response procedures specifically addressing contact list manipulation attacks, as these incidents may not be immediately apparent to users and could go undetected for extended periods. Regular security awareness training for users on recognizing suspicious contact list changes and unusual messaging behavior can provide additional defense layers against exploitation of this vulnerability.