CVE-2016-4610 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE
libxslt in Apple iOS before 9.3.3, OS X before 10.11.6, iTunes before 12.4.2 on Windows, iCloud before 5.2.1 on Windows, tvOS before 9.2.2, and watchOS before 2.2.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4607, CVE-2016-4608, CVE-2016-4609, and CVE-2016-4612.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4610 represents a critical memory corruption issue within Apple's libxslt library implementation across multiple operating systems and applications. This flaw affects iOS versions prior to 9.3.3, macOS versions before 10.11.6, Windows versions of iTunes and iCloud before their respective updated releases, and various tvOS and watchOS versions. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of XML transformation operations that can lead to arbitrary memory corruption when processing specially crafted XML documents. The affected libxslt library is a core component used for transforming xml documents through xsl stylesheets, making it a critical element in Apple's ecosystem for data processing and content rendering.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption that can occur during the execution of xml transformation operations, specifically when the library processes malformed or maliciously constructed xml input. This type of flaw typically manifests through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that can result in unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or potentially more severe consequences. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of xml processing libraries and memory safety, creating a vector where remote attackers can manipulate the execution flow of applications that rely on libxslt for xml transformations. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability would be categorized under CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, or CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, depending on the specific implementation details of the memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4610 extends across multiple attack surfaces within Apple's ecosystem, making it particularly dangerous for adversaries seeking to exploit vulnerabilities across different platforms. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to cause denial of service conditions that would render applications unusable, or in more severe cases, achieve arbitrary code execution depending on the specific memory corruption pattern. The widespread adoption of libxslt across Apple's software stack means that a single exploit could potentially affect numerous applications including web browsers, email clients, and system utilities that process xml content. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and execution through memory corruption attacks, particularly when considering the potential for local privilege escalation if the vulnerability is exploited in system-level processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4610 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Apple products and operating systems, with particular attention to the specific version boundaries mentioned in the vulnerability description. Organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, particularly when processing xml content or accessing applications that utilize libxslt functionality. Security teams should also consider deploying application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted xml processing applications, and implement comprehensive vulnerability management programs to ensure timely patch deployment across all affected platforms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining updated xml processing libraries and implementing robust input validation mechanisms that can prevent malformed xml content from reaching vulnerable components. Regular security assessments of xml processing workflows and memory safety reviews of third-party libraries should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.