CVE-2017-13807 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.1 is affected. The issue involves the "Audio" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a crafted QuickTime file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13807 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13.1. This issue resides within the Audio component of the system and specifically impacts the handling of QuickTime files through the QuickTime framework. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the audio processing pipeline that processes media files, creating a potential attack surface for remote exploitation.
The technical flaw manifests when a maliciously crafted QuickTime file is processed by the affected system, leading to improper memory handling during audio decoding operations. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition that can be exploited to trigger arbitrary code execution or cause system instability through excessive memory consumption. The flaw occurs during the parsing of specific QuickTime container formats where the application fails to properly validate the structure and size parameters of audio samples within the media file, allowing attackers to manipulate memory allocation patterns and potentially overwrite critical system resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to macOS users as it enables remote code execution without requiring any user interaction beyond opening or playing the malicious file. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through various delivery mechanisms including email attachments, malicious websites, or file sharing platforms where QuickTime files are commonly encountered. The memory consumption aspect of the vulnerability can also lead to denial of service conditions that may cause system crashes or rendering the affected system unusable until manual intervention is performed. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which describes legitimate programs being used to gain access to system resources and potentially execute malicious code.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it affects the core audio processing capabilities of macOS systems, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire operating environment. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious content through various network channels. Organizations should consider implementing network-based protections such as content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious QuickTime files. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of timely security updates and patch management procedures, as the issue was resolved through Apple's security updates for macOS 10.13.1 and subsequent versions. The flaw serves as a reminder of the critical nature of multimedia processing components in operating systems and the potential for seemingly benign file formats to become attack vectors when proper input validation and memory management practices are not implemented.