CVE-2016-7643 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 "ImageIO" component. It allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7643 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's ImageIO framework that affects multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 10.2, macOS versions before 10.12.2, and watchOS versions before 3.1.3. This issue resides within the image processing component that handles various image file formats and is particularly concerning due to its potential for remote exploitation through web-based attacks. The ImageIO framework serves as a core system component responsible for image decoding and encoding operations across Apple's ecosystem, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit memory handling vulnerabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the ImageIO component processes specially crafted image files or web content. This flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate memory access patterns within the affected applications, potentially leading to information disclosure where sensitive process memory contents could be read by unauthorized parties. The vulnerability also enables denial of service conditions that can cause applications to crash or become unresponsive, effectively disrupting normal system operations. The out-of-bounds read occurs during the image parsing process when the component fails to properly validate input data boundaries, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited remotely.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who browse the web or interact with untrusted content through Apple devices. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can craft malicious websites or web-based content that triggers the vulnerability without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the site. This makes the attack surface extremely broad and difficult to defend against through user education alone. The information disclosure aspect could potentially expose sensitive data such as encryption keys, user credentials, or application memory contents that might be leveraged for further attacks. The denial of service component can be used to disrupt services or cause system instability, affecting both individual users and enterprise environments that rely on Apple devices.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of a memory safety issue that aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-129, which covers improper validation of array indices. The exploitability characteristics of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves the execution of malicious code through web-based attacks, and T1068, which encompasses privilege escalation through application flaws. Organizations should prioritize patching all affected Apple operating systems to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability exists in core system components that are essential for device functionality. The remediation process requires updating to the patched versions of iOS 10.2, macOS 10.12.2, and watchOS 3.1.3, which contain fixes for the ImageIO memory handling flaws. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions that can detect and block known malicious content until full patches are deployed across all affected systems.