CVE-2016-7637 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 local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7637 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 resource management. The kernel operates with the highest privileges and maintains direct control over hardware resources, making any flaw in this component particularly dangerous as it can potentially compromise the entire system security posture. The vulnerability manifests through unspecified vectors that can be exploited by local users to either escalate privileges or cause memory corruption leading to denial of service conditions.
The technical nature of this kernel vulnerability stems from memory corruption issues that can be triggered through local user actions, indicating that exploitation does not require network access or remote attack vectors. This classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that can lead to memory corruption and privilege escalation. The impact of such vulnerabilities is particularly severe in kernel contexts because the kernel operates in ring 0 privilege level where it has unrestricted access to all system resources and memory. When memory corruption occurs at this level, it can provide attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges, effectively bypassing all user-level security mechanisms and access controls.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to Apple device security as local users can exploit it to gain elevated privileges without requiring physical access or complex attack infrastructure. The potential for denial of service attacks means that even if privilege escalation is not achieved, system stability can be compromised through memory corruption that may lead to system crashes or reboots. The widespread nature of affected versions across iOS, macOS, and watchOS indicates that this vulnerability could impact a substantial user base, potentially affecting millions of devices. The local exploitation requirement reduces the attack surface compared to remote vulnerabilities, but it still represents a serious concern for system administrators and security professionals who must ensure their devices are properly patched.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2016-7637 requires immediate deployment of Apple's security updates, specifically iOS 10.2, macOS 10.12.2, and watchOS 3.1.3, which contain patches addressing the kernel memory corruption issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive updates promptly. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual privilege escalation activities or system instability patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all operating systems, as kernel-level vulnerabilities often provide attackers with persistent access to compromised systems. This vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the kernel to gain elevated system access, making it a critical component of enterprise security assessments and vulnerability management programs.