CVE-2016-4692 in iCloud
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.2 is affected. Safari before 10.0.2 is affected. iCloud before 6.1 is affected. iTunes before 12.5.4 is affected. The issue involves the "WebKit" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4692 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple products including iOS versions prior to 10.2, Safari versions before 10.0.2, iCloud versions before 6.1, and iTunes versions before 12.5.4. This vulnerability resides in the core web rendering component that processes web content across Apple's ecosystem, making it a prime target for remote exploitation. The flaw specifically manifests as a heap-based buffer overflow or memory corruption issue that occurs when WebKit processes malformed or crafted web content, creating a pathway for attackers to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which encompasses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web content on compromised websites or through phishing campaigns that direct users to exploit the vulnerability. When a user visits the crafted website, the WebKit engine processes the malicious content and triggers the memory corruption, potentially allowing remote code execution with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can also cause denial of service conditions through application crashes, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise and mobile environments where these applications are extensively used.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4692 is substantial given the widespread adoption of affected Apple products and the privileged execution context in which the WebKit engine operates. Mobile devices running vulnerable iOS versions and desktop applications like iTunes and iCloud are all at risk, creating a broad attack surface that could enable attackers to establish persistent access to user devices. The vulnerability's exploitation capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control through web services, and T1068 for local privilege escalation when combined with other exploits. Organizations and individual users who rely on Apple's ecosystem for business operations face significant risk of data compromise, unauthorized access, and potential lateral movement within networks through successful exploitation of this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4692 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and system updates to the affected Apple products. Apple released security updates for iOS 10.2, Safari 10.0.2, iCloud 6.1, and iTunes 12.5.4 that address the memory corruption issue within WebKit. Network administrators should implement web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and employ security monitoring to detect suspicious web traffic patterns. The vulnerability's remediation aligns with NIST cybersecurity framework's protect functions, particularly in maintaining system security and implementing security updates. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that enforce automatic updates and security policies to prevent exploitation of unpatched systems. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that patches have been properly applied and that no other vulnerabilities exist within the Apple ecosystem that could be leveraged in conjunction with this flaw.