CVE-2016-4724 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
IOAcceleratorFamily in Apple iOS before 10 and OS X before 10.12 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4724 resides within the IOAcceleratorFamily component of Apple's operating systems, affecting iOS versions prior to 10 and OS X versions prior to 10.12. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that could potentially allow malicious actors to escalate privileges or disrupt system operations. The IOAcceleratorFamily serves as a core framework for hardware acceleration capabilities within Apple's ecosystem, managing interactions between software applications and hardware components such as graphics processors and other specialized accelerators. When exploited, this vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to bypass normal security boundaries and execute code with elevated privileges, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the affected systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from a NULL pointer dereference condition within the IOAcceleratorFamily implementation. This type of flaw occurs when the system attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL, resulting in a system crash or potentially exploitable behavior. The vulnerability manifests when a crafted application submits malicious input or parameters to the IOAcceleratorFamily framework, triggering the NULL pointer dereference. This particular weakness falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which is classified as a common programming error that can lead to both denial of service conditions and potential privilege escalation. The flaw exists in the kernel-level components of the operating system, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within the most privileged execution context.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4724 extends beyond simple system instability, presenting significant risks to user data and system integrity. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard security mechanisms such as sandboxing and code signing enforcement. This privilege escalation capability enables malicious actors to gain full control over affected devices, potentially leading to data theft, persistent backdoor installation, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the fundamental hardware acceleration infrastructure, meaning that legitimate applications relying on these services could be disrupted, while malicious applications could exploit the flaw to establish persistent access. Additionally, the denial of service aspect could be used to create persistent system instability, rendering devices unusable until system restart or patch installation occurs.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4724 primarily focus on applying official security patches provided by Apple, which address the underlying NULL pointer dereference in the IOAcceleratorFamily component. System administrators and users should prioritize updating to iOS 10 or OS X 10.12 and subsequent versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive updates promptly. Network monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around hardware acceleration APIs. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of kernel-level security reviews and proper input validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1499 which covers 'Endpoint Denial of Service'. Security professionals should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to limit the execution of potentially malicious applications that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability, while maintaining proper system logging to detect and analyze exploitation attempts.