CVE-2017-13803 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.1 is affected. Safari before 11.0.1 is affected. iCloud before 7.1 on Windows is affected. iTunes before 12.7.1 on Windows is affected. tvOS before 11.1 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 • 01/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13803 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affects multiple operating systems and applications. This issue resides in the core web browsing component responsible for processing and displaying web content across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically impacts iOS versions prior to 11.1, Safari versions before 11.0.1, iCloud for Windows versions before 7.1, iTunes for Windows versions before 12.7.1, and tvOS versions before 11.1. The WebKit component serves as the foundational technology for web rendering in Apple's products, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it affects a widely used and integral part of Apple's software infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's processing of crafted web content. Attackers can exploit this flaw by hosting malicious websites that trigger specific memory corruption conditions when the affected browsers or applications attempt to render the content. The vulnerability enables remote code execution capabilities, allowing attackers to run arbitrary code on affected systems without user interaction. Additionally, the flaw can cause denial of service conditions through memory corruption that leads to application crashes and system instability. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient bounds checking, improper memory allocation, or flawed handling of specially crafted input data that WebKit processes during web page rendering.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13803 extends across Apple's entire ecosystem, affecting users of mobile devices, desktop applications, and television platforms. The broad scope of affected products means that attackers can potentially exploit this vulnerability through multiple vectors including web browsing on mobile devices, desktop applications, or even through malicious web content delivered via iCloud or iTunes services. The remote execution capability makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires no physical access to the target device and can be exploited through simple web navigation. This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of Apple users and organizations relying on Apple products for business operations, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized system access, or complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus on immediate software updates and system hardening measures. Apple released patches for all affected versions including iOS 11.1, Safari 11.0.1, iCloud 7.1 for Windows, iTunes 12.7.1 for Windows, and tvOS 11.1. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these security updates across all affected systems. Network administrators should implement web filtering solutions and browser security enhancements to reduce exposure while patches are deployed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software, and represents a classic example of memory corruption issues that fall under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Additional protective measures include user education about avoiding untrusted websites, implementing security policies that restrict web browsing on sensitive systems, and monitoring for suspicious network activity that may indicate exploitation attempts.