CVE-2016-7606 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.2 is affected. macOS before 10.12.2 is affected. watchOS before 3.1.3 is affected. The issue involves the "Kernel" component. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7606 represents a critical kernel-level flaw affecting multiple Apple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 10.2, macOS versions before 10.12.2, and watchOS versions before 3.1.3. This vulnerability resides within the kernel component of Apple's operating systems, which serves as the core foundation responsible for system-level operations and memory management. The kernel operates with the highest privilege level and manages critical system resources, making any vulnerability within this component particularly dangerous as it can provide attackers with elevated access to the underlying system architecture.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the kernel that allows attackers to craft malicious applications capable of exploiting memory corruption issues. This type of vulnerability typically manifests through buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or other memory management flaws that can be triggered by specially crafted input or application behavior. The flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within the privileged kernel context, which represents a significant escalation from regular user-level applications to system-level privileges. This privilege escalation capability means that an attacker could potentially gain complete control over the affected device, access sensitive data, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7606 extends beyond simple code execution as it can also lead to denial of service conditions that can crash or destabilize the affected systems. When attackers can manipulate kernel memory structures, they can cause system crashes that may result in complete system shutdowns or render devices unusable until rebooted. The vulnerability's exploitation potential makes it particularly concerning for mobile and embedded systems where continuous operation is critical. The fact that this affects multiple Apple platforms including mobile devices, desktop computers, and wearable devices creates a broad attack surface that could potentially be leveraged across different device types and use cases.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which describes weaknesses related to "Improper Access to Memory" and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. The attack vector requires a crafted application that can be installed on the target device, making it a typical example of a supply chain or application-based attack. Organizations and users should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as the vulnerability provides attackers with a path to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges. The remediation approach involves updating to the patched versions of iOS 10.2, macOS 10.12.2, and watchOS 3.1.3, which contain the necessary kernel-level fixes to prevent exploitation of this memory corruption vulnerability.