CVE-2017-13815 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.1 is affected. The issue involves the third-party "file" product. Versions before 5.31 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13815 represents a critical security flaw affecting Apple macOS systems prior to version 10.13.1. This issue specifically targets the third-party file command utility, which is commonly integrated into various Apple operating systems and applications. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain file format structures within the file command implementation, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by remote threat actors. The affected component operates as a fundamental system utility responsible for identifying file types and formats, making it a critical element in the overall system security architecture. Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under the broader category of software defects that can lead to system instability and potential unauthorized access scenarios.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests through a memory corruption issue that occurs when the file command processes malformed or specially crafted input files. This flaw allows attackers to manipulate the utility's behavior in ways that can trigger application crashes, leading to denial of service conditions that render affected systems temporarily unusable. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it may potentially enable more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the memory corruption to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges within the system environment. The underlying cause of this issue lies in insufficient input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within the file command's parsing routines, which fail to properly handle edge cases in file format structures. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to craft specific file inputs that can exploit the underlying implementation flaws and compromise system integrity.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13815 presents significant risks to organizations and individual users relying on affected macOS versions. System administrators face potential disruptions to productivity as the vulnerability can be exploited to cause unexpected application failures and system instability across multiple user devices. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems without requiring physical access or local user credentials, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where macOS systems are prevalent. Organizations using macOS for critical operations may experience service interruptions that could affect business continuity and data availability. The vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that attackers might be able to leverage the memory corruption for more advanced exploitation techniques, including privilege escalation or information disclosure scenarios that could compromise the entire system. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning from a threat actor perspective, as it could serve as a stepping stone for more comprehensive attacks against affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on applying the official Apple security updates that address the specific memory handling issues within the file command utility. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected macOS systems to version 10.13.1 or later, as these releases contain the necessary patches to prevent exploitation of the vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all macOS devices receive the security updates promptly. Additional protective measures include monitoring network traffic for suspicious file transfers that might indicate exploitation attempts and implementing file validation controls at network boundaries. Security teams should also consider deploying network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and may relate to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running unsupported macOS versions and ensure proper access controls are in place to minimize the attack surface. Regular security audits and system hardening practices can further reduce the risk of exploitation while maintaining operational functionality across affected environments.