CVE-2016-7641 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-2016-7641 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 and displays web content across Apple's ecosystem, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit web-based attack vectors. The flaw specifically manifests as a memory corruption issue that can be triggered through maliciously crafted web content, potentially enabling remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The WebKit component serves as the foundation for Safari's web browsing capabilities and is also utilized by other Apple applications including iCloud and iTunes for web content rendering, thereby expanding the potential attack surface significantly.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within WebKit's handling of web content, particularly when processing specially crafted web pages designed to exploit memory corruption patterns. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web content that, when loaded in affected browsers or applications, triggers memory corruption that can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code on the target system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. The exploitation mechanism typically involves carefully constructed web pages that trigger buffer overflows or other memory management errors within the WebKit engine, causing the application to behave unpredictably and potentially allowing attackers to gain control over system resources or execute malicious payloads.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7641 extends beyond individual device compromise to potentially affect entire Apple user ecosystems, given that WebKit is utilized across multiple applications and operating systems. When exploited, this vulnerability can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to data theft, persistent backdoor installation, or further escalation attacks. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability can also be leveraged to disrupt normal user operations, causing applications to crash or become unresponsive, which can be particularly problematic in enterprise environments where consistent application availability is critical. The widespread use of WebKit across Apple's product portfolio means that a single exploitation attempt could potentially affect multiple devices simultaneously, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7641 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Apple to address the underlying memory corruption issues within WebKit. Users should prioritize updating to iOS 10.2, Safari 10.0.2, iCloud 6.1, and iTunes 12.5.4 or later versions to eliminate the vulnerability exposure. Network-level protections such as web content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional defense in depth, though these are less effective against sophisticated targeted attacks. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious web traffic patterns and unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected Apple devices receive updates promptly, while also considering temporary restrictions on access to untrusted web content until patches are deployed. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and highlights how core rendering engines can serve as primary attack vectors in modern cyber threat landscapes, aligning with ATT&CK tactics that emphasize initial access through web-based delivery mechanisms and privilege escalation through memory corruption exploits.