CVE-2017-13816 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.1 is affected. The issue involves the "libarchive" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (buffer overflow and application crash) via a crafted archive file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13816 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the libarchive component of Apple's macOS operating system. This issue specifically affects macOS versions prior to 10.13.1, making a substantial portion of Apple's user base susceptible to exploitation. The libarchive library serves as a fundamental component responsible for handling various archive formats including tar, zip, and other compressed file types, making it a critical element in the system's file processing capabilities. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the library's parsing functions, which fail to properly handle maliciously crafted archive files that exceed allocated buffer boundaries.
The technical nature of this flaw places it squarely within the CWE-121 buffer overflow category, where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. When a malicious archive file is processed by applications relying on libarchive, such as Archive Utility or other file extraction tools, the buffer overflow can be triggered through carefully constructed file headers or metadata that manipulate the library's internal parsing mechanisms. This vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to complete system compromise, or alternatively cause denial of service conditions that result in application crashes and system instability. The exploitability of this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires no user interaction beyond opening a malicious archive file, making it susceptible to automated exploitation through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing platforms.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13816 extends beyond simple application crashes, as it represents a significant elevation of privilege vulnerability that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to systems, potentially establishing persistent backdoors or executing additional malware payloads. The widespread use of archive files in both legitimate business operations and malicious attack vectors makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where file sharing and collaboration are common practices. Organizations utilizing older macOS versions remain at risk of being compromised through social engineering attacks or automated scanning of public-facing services that might process user-uploaded archives.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability center on immediate system updates to macOS 10.13.1 or later versions, which contain the patched libarchive component that properly validates input boundaries and implements robust memory management practices. System administrators should prioritize deployment of the official security updates and consider implementing additional protective measures such as sandboxing applications that process untrusted archive files, network segmentation to limit exposure, and user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted archive files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security patch management and the need for organizations to maintain current operating system versions to protect against known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can identify systems running vulnerable versions of macOS and ensure proper remediation occurs across their entire infrastructure.