CVE-2016-7658 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 "Audio" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7658 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's audio processing components that affected 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 audio handling subsystem and demonstrates the inherent risks associated with multimedia processing components that must handle untrusted input data. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-129, which covers insufficient input validation, both of which are common entry points for memory corruption exploits in multimedia frameworks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious audio file that, when processed by the affected Apple operating systems, triggers memory corruption within the audio component. This flaw allows for arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions that can cause application crashes and potentially system instability. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates over remote networks, meaning that an attacker could deliver a malicious audio file through various channels such as email attachments, web downloads, or instant messaging applications without requiring physical access to the target device. The vulnerability's impact spans across Apple's entire ecosystem, affecting mobile devices, desktop computers, and wearable technology, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise and individual users alike, as it could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to devices or disrupt service availability. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. The fact that this vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms also increases the attack surface, as defenders must implement security measures across various device types and operating systems. Organizations relying on Apple devices for business operations face potential data breaches, service interruptions, and compliance violations if this vulnerability remains unpatched, particularly in environments where sensitive information is processed or stored.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the applicable security updates released by Apple, which include patches specifically designed to address the memory corruption issue within the audio processing components. System administrators should prioritize patch management across all affected Apple platforms, implementing a comprehensive update schedule that accounts for the varying release cycles of iOS, macOS, and watchOS. Additionally, organizations should consider network-level protections such as content filtering and email scanning to prevent the delivery of malicious audio files to user devices. The vulnerability's characteristics also suggest implementing behavioral monitoring and endpoint detection solutions that can identify anomalous audio processing activities or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential audio processing components that may share similar vulnerabilities, as this type of flaw often indicates broader architectural issues within multimedia frameworks that require comprehensive security hardening approaches aligned with industry best practices for secure coding and memory management.