CVE-2016-7581 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.1 is affected. The issue involves the "Safari" component, which allows remote web servers to cause a denial of service via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7581 represents a significant security flaw within Apple's Safari web browser implementation on iOS devices. This issue specifically affects iOS versions prior to 10.1, creating a potential attack vector where malicious remote web servers can exploit the Safari component to trigger a denial of service condition. The vulnerability demonstrates how web browser implementations can be manipulated through carefully crafted URLs to disrupt normal system operations, highlighting the critical importance of robust input validation in client-side applications.
The technical nature of this flaw resides in how Safari processes certain URL structures, allowing attackers to construct malicious web addresses that, when accessed, cause the browser to enter an unstable state or crash entirely. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation, which is classified as CWE-20 by the CWE standard, specifically addressing weaknesses in the validation of input data. The flaw operates at the application layer of the network stack, where the browser's URL parsing and rendering components fail to properly handle malformed or specially constructed URLs, leading to unexpected behavior that manifests as service disruption.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates serious risks for iOS users who may encounter malicious websites while browsing the internet. The denial of service condition affects the usability of the Safari browser and potentially impacts the overall device functionality, as users may be unable to access web content or navigate normally. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing scenarios or when users browse untrusted web content. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1211 which involves manipulating processes to cause system instability or denial of service conditions.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability represents a classic example of how web browser components can be exploited through input manipulation. The flaw demonstrates the importance of implementing comprehensive input sanitization and validation mechanisms within web rendering engines. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of iOS 10.1 updates to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions represent a significant security risk. The remediation process involves updating the operating system to ensure that Safari's URL handling mechanisms have been patched to properly validate and sanitize input data. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions that can detect and block known malicious URL patterns while monitoring for suspicious web traffic that might indicate exploitation attempts.